


Identities

by goldenlanternss



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alya finds out, F/M, Identity Reveal, Nino finds out, Rated for Alya and Nino's language, Reveal Fic, best friend reveal, eventually, love square, miraculous - Freeform, new heroes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 11:02:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 26,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13762737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenlanternss/pseuds/goldenlanternss
Summary: Everyone wants a reveal, but what if it isn't between our two favorite heroes? Well, one word: shenanigans.





	1. Exhibit A

**Author's Note:**

> (Cross posted from ff.net as golden.lanterns)
> 
> Alya finds out Chat is Adrien. Nino finds out Marinette is Ladybug. Chaos ensues. (Rated Teen for curses only. Done purely to make myself laugh. I think I'm funny. Spoiler alert, I'm not.)
> 
>  
> 
> (***) = Scene shift
> 
> (***
> 
> ***) =POV shift

Chat Noir was nothing if not stealthy. Not careful per say, but the hero was naturally stealthy. In most situations. This was not one.

He was exhausted from the past night's akuma(apparently, a college girl got so stressed over a term paper that Hawkmoth turned her into "All-Nighter") and practically fell into his window and room that afternoon. Chat had being feeling under the weather lately and even though his father was letting him skip school (or making, whichever you preferred) these daily akumas were not helping at all. In fact, he was pretty sure he had a fever. And he kinda felt like throwing up. 

"Plagg, claws in." He said before transforming with a green glow back to Adrien. Right as he started a coughing fit.

Plagg gave him an annoyed look and was opening his big mouth to say something when his jaw suddenly went slack. 

"Wh-What?" The blond choked, trying to catch his breath. 

"Uh." Plagg pointed a small finger over Adrien's shoulder, eyes wide.

He turned to meet the sight of shocked redhead girl, standing in his room. 

Alya. 

He started coughing again.

***

"So . . . You save Paris?" 

They were sitting in a only slightly awkward manner, crossed legged on the carpet, as Plagg tossed cheese into his mouth like he hadn't eaten in weeks. 

Adrien chewed on his lip, "I try." 

Alya was still wide eyed, running her hands in her curls of hair, "God. That's . . . That's so cool."

The model blinked, surprised, "Oh."

"Gosh, I can't even--like, pinch me, is this real?" 

Adrien laughed, "It's real." 

"Oh my god. Oh my GOD. Does Nino know? Does your dad know? Pssh, wait, sorry, stupid question. Obviously he doesn't because there's no way in hell he'd let you leave the house if he knew."

He laughed again, this time somewhat nervously, scratching his neck, "Ha. Yeah."

Alya ignored him, still going a million miles per hour, "Does Marinette know? Oh my god, is that why she's always on you?"

"What? No. No one knows but you." 

She was pulling her hair by the handfuls, practically shrieking, "Do you have an idea what would happen to Mari if she found out? Good lord, what about Paris? My Ladyblog-Jesus." 

"Will you calm your tits please?" Plagg demanded. 

Alya blinked at the kwami and Adrien turned to glare at him, "Plagg, don't be rude." 

He made a blah blah blah gesture with his hand before swooping out of the room with a large chunk of cheese.

"Sorry, he's, ah . . . Not the most chivalrous." Adrien explained, giving an awkward, apology smile.

Alya frowned in a confused way but waved her hand, "No problem. Oh, um, I do have a reason to be here by the way, I brought your homework for the weekend. Chloe was busy, Mari chickened out and you know Nino, huge germ-o-phob. And you're close by so . . ." She passed him a couple of papers which he took gladly to his desk.

"Thanks." He said earnestly, plopping back down on the carpeted floor. 

She was still frowning, "Hey, um, I realize I can't go tell the world you're Chat Noir, but do you think you could give me some . . . Extra content? Bonus interviews?" 

Adrien beamed but raise his eyebrows, "That depends. Is this a blackmail situation?"

Alya sent him a smirk, "Only if it has to be." 

He laughed, "Deal, no blackmailing needed." 

She sent him a dazzling but slightly smug smile, taking her phone out for notes, "Great. You've got a lot of explaining to do, young man."

***

Hey guys! Alya here, coming at you with one of the most fun interviews I've had in a while. Paris' finest: Chat Noir. I realize this blog is dedicated to Ladybug specifically but when this opportunity arose, I just couldn't pass it up.

And I'm glad I didn't. Chat Noir was really generous with his time devoted to my questions and was generally casual and friendly throughout my digging through his personal life. He's definitely just as much of a hero as Ladybug is and deserves the same respect. 

Below, I've attached a audio recording of our interview. Hope you all enjoy, and remember to look for more Ladybug and Chat content coming up soon!

[Audio File 00117, Duration: 14:47] 

C: Is there an intro that I'm supposed to say?  
A: Nah, that's my job.  
C: Ah, good ahead then.  
A: Hi guys, Alya coming at ya with Paris' favorite hero, Chat Noir.  
C: (laughing) Second favorite.  
A: Trust me, plenty of girls would take a bite of you. Probably a few guys too.  
A: He's blushing. You can't see him, but he's blushing. Like, really badly.  
A: Gees, calm down, you'll get third degree burns that way.  
C: It's just, kinda weird, that's all. Hit me with some questions. (humming) Hit me with your best shot. Come on and got me with your best shot.  
A: Oh my god, no. No singing. People are going to listen to this, you know.  
C: (laughing) Right, sorry. Ask away.  
A: What do you like most about being a hero?  
C: Hm. I probably enjoy the freedom the most, it's nice to be able to do things I couldn't before. Also, working with Ladybug is the cat's meow and I've had so many life changing experiences during my time as Chat Noir that it's really sculpted who I am as a person. That all sounded super cheesy, oh my gosh.  
A: No, I totally see were you're coming from. What are some characteristics do you see in Chat Noir that you don't see in your regular self, if any?  
C: I'm definitely bolder as Chat than as a civilian, not necessarily braver but I act on my feelings more in the suit. (small laugh) It's the only time people actual listen to me.  
A: Deep, but I'm sure that's not true. Describe yourself in three words.  
C: Gees, I hate that question, it gives me the hardest time. Um.  
A: Really? I could give you three words just from how little I know you. Charismatic, dorky, fun-loving.  
C: (laughing) Isn't that four words?  
A: Fun-loving is hyphenated, you goose.  
[ . . .]  
A: So that's all I have for you guys today, big shout out to Chat Noir for being here.  
C: No problem.  
A: Also, Chat has agreed to give me some bonus content exclusive to the Ladyblog, so look out for more interviews and photos coming your way . . . And possibly, a vlog or two done by Chat?  
C: If Ladybug is okay with it and only during certain times, but it sounds like tons of fun.  
A: So look out for that and remember to follow me for all the latest on our favorite heroes!  
C: Is there an outro? Can I say that?  
A: Make one up, go.  
C: Um. Alya, checking out?  
A: That's terrible, I love it. I'm keeping it for forever. (Chat laughing) Alya, checking out.

***

Adrien always thought about what it would be like for his friends to find out he was Chat Noir.

Of course, Ladybug was on the top of that list that he went through. 

She probably wouldn't recognize him. Adrien wasn't that famous of a model and he didn't dare hope they knew each other in civilian form. And if she did know about his model status and his father's company, it would kind of make all of his flirting attempts look stuck up and douchey, therefore causing her to forget any notation of being just his friend, much less anything else. Anyway, the point was, he didn't really know how Ladybug would react. 

Nino, he always felt, would be the best to tell. He was laid back about those things and he could help Adrien come up with excuses when he had to run out of class to battle an akuma. If Adrien was going to tell anyone voluntarily, besides Ladybug, it would definitely be Nino. But still, if Hawkmoth ever found out Nino knew, Chat couldn't risk harm coming to his friend. 

Chloe, he thought, would probably be mad at him for a little while for not saying anything but then eventually come back even more clingy to him than she was before. Not to mention, Chloe wasn't the best at keeping secrets. He had learned that a long time ago.

In his mind, Marinette would do one of two things. She would become even more uncomfortable around him, or she would see the hero in him or something and stop being uncomfortable all together. He still couldn't figure out which it would be, but she was nice and he hoped it was the latter if she ever found out. 

Picturing Alya finding out he had a miraculous always involved a lot of screaming and questions and eventually the whole world finding out because she just couldn't help it. She had always been a little intimidating to Adrien, but her knowing his identity would downright scary. Or so he thought. 

Alya came into class on Monday, offering Adrien some tissues from her backpack and winking, before starting a casual conversation with Nino while Marinette was late and barely looking at Adrien twice.

Adrien blew his nose and Nino sent him a terrified look, "Dude. Please. Do you know how many germs you just sent airborne just now?" 

The blond blinked but Alya poked Nino in the back of his shoulder, half playful, half serious, "Give him a break, he's tired."

Nino glanced over, now sympathetic, "Working all weekend?"

He stuffed the tissue packet in his pocket, "You could say that." 

Alya was trying to be sly, but she was about to laugh, "He had a bunch of interviews this week."

"Dude, that stinks. Did they ask you a bunch of nosy questions?" 

Adrien was trying desperately to keep a straight face as he shot Alya a spilt second wink, "Tons."

***

***

Ladybug was nothing if not careful. Not stealthy per say but the hero was naturally careful. In most situations. This was not one.

Class was buzzing when she burst in, barely on time, and no one cast her a glance, all talking amongst themselves or to . . . Alya. 

Marinette did her best to keep up with her friend's blog but between the akumas and Hawkmoth, she was barely getting her school work done on time. Much less have time for anything else. 

Rose was squealing next to Alya's spot in the room, "Gosh, was he really that nice?"

Alya beamed, soaking up the attention of her classmates, "He treated me like an old friend." 

Adrien started coughing in his chair, putting his hand over his mouth. Nino made a face and leaned away. 

"Dude. Why would you even come to school this sick?" He asked, pulling a small hand sanitizer from his bag and offering some to his friend before squirting some on his own hands and rubbing them furiously.

"You're--" Adrien turned to look at Marinette as she spoke and her heart jumped to her throat, "s-sick? That's t-terrible. Here." The girl held out some cough drops from her bag(Ladybug had been having a sore throat of her own),"They're ch-cherry, my favorite." Marinette said, "Is that okay?" 

Adrien grinned and she noticed the bags under his eyes, small but there, "Perfect. Cherry is my favorite too, thanks Marinette." 

The heroine blushed even more than she already was when his hand brushed hers, then she curled her hair back, "No problem. I-I hope you feel better." 

"Did you meet his kwami?" Juleka inquired to Alya hesitantly. 

The reporter shook her head, "Nah. He would've had to transform out, he just told me all about him." 

"Plagg is his name?"

"Yup, little rascal too, from what he said." 

Marinette laughed a little, "We're talking about Chat Noir, right? Trust me, if he's anything like his kwami, they're both rascals." The class remembered her encounter with the superhero but something dawned on her, "Wait a second, since when are you chummy with Chat Alya?"

Her redheaded best friend shot her a amused look, "Uh, since forever! He just finally got some free time to talk to me."

Chloe finally spoke from her seat, rolling her eyes and tossing her hair, "Oh whatever. It doesn't matter. Chat Noir is just second rate anyway, and I'm friends with Ladybug." 

Alya shot to her feet and the hero's defense, "Who has been proved worthy of possessing a miraculous? Who has saved you and Ladybug countless times? Who gives their own personal time to save your ass when a akuma is after you?" She demanded, "Goddamn Chat Noir, that's who! And I won't let you sit there and act superior when Chat was chosen as Ladybug's partner, not you." The whole class was blinking at Chloe, waiting for a reaction. Besides Adrien, who had a fit of coughing.

Marinette crossed her arms and glared at the blond girl, "Yeah. Everyone puts Ladybug on a pedestal but she would be nothing without Chat. Nothing. In fact, she probably would've given up her miraculous or something, if not for him." A couple of her classmates sent her confused or thoughtful looks, one specifically from Nino, but Marinette didn't care. No one would talk about her friend like he was a piece of trash. Besides, it was true, without Chat, someone else would be Ladybug.

Chloe sneered, "So quick to take up for him, looks like you both have a celebrity crush." 

Alya threw her head back, laughing once in a exasperated way, "Damn, you don't know the first thing about loyalty, do you?"

"At least I--" 

"That's enough class, to your seats," The teacher called, crossing her arms when no one moved, "Now." 

Everyone rushed to comply. 

***

It was lunch when the second akuma in twenty-four hours struck. 

"Adrien." Alya said forcefully, jumping up, "You think you help me bring my science project in from the other room?" 

The blond was on his feet too, "Yeah, absolutely." He replied quickly. The two of them ran off as Marinette got to her feet as well. Alya and Adrien would be safe with each other, she hoped. 

"Ha-ha, yeah, I left my project somewhere too." She told her table nervously, before fast walking in the other direction.

"Mari!" Nino shouted, but she wasn't listening. 

At least this akuma was during lunch and not class. 

***

Ladybug vaulted from the roof into her school window after her regular butterfly de-evilization and pounding her fist to Chat Noir's. 

"Patrol tonight?" He had asked, "I've got some things I need to ask you." 

"Sure," She replied quickly, giving him a smile. 

Chat beamed, then bound up and onto a roof, heading in the school's direction. Without even realizing it, he just made things so much harder for her.

Ladybug had to go all the way around the school building, check for Chat, then swing her yo-yo into the open window. She landed inside with a small oof, and then jumped up to take of running towards her class.

Her pigtails came undone as she booked into down the stairs, breathlessly saying(god, her throat hurt), "Tikki, spots off." As she rounded the last stair well before her class' level. 

"Marinette!" Tikki squeaked, causing the girl to look up from the stairs she was focused on.

Several things happened. She tripped in shock, falling straight onto the person in front of her who seemed equally shocked, but also kind of smug. 

The two teens barely righted themselves before falling as Marinette blushed furiously. 

"That's a kwami." He said, pointing at Tikki who clearly saw no point in hiding now. The gig was up.

She laughed nervously, "Whhaaat?" 

"You're Ladybug." He said, pointing at her now. 

Marinette was about to bolt when Nino cheered, pumping his fists in the air.

"I fucking knew it!"

***

***

Chat Noir met Alya in a deserted hall shortly after the attack, taking a big breath, he asked, "All clear?"

She nodded firmly, "Yup. Are you good? You need a breather?" 

He nodded breathlessly, "I'm good, but I think I need some--" Alya handed him a plastic water bottle, "Yeah, that." 

He transformed and chugged the cool, soothing water, stopping only to let Plagg have some as well. 

Alya gave him a hesitant grin, "I got some good pictures with my phone, it's a nice view of the action from this window . . ." Adrien laughed but Alya wasn't done with him, "It's mostly just you gazing at Ladybug like a frickin' sap." 

Adrien sobered up quickly but Plagg burst into obnoxious laughter, "I take it back. She's cool. We can be friends." And the kwami fistbumped the reporter smugly as Adrien groaned. 

Great, just great. That duo would be the death of his sanity. 

***

Alya and Adrien sat back down at the lunch table as the class was meeting up again for the last few minutes of the lunch hour. 

"Where's Mari? And Nino?" Alya questioned, glancing around the lunch room with a panicked look.

Chloe rolled her eyes and took Nino's seat next to Adrien, hugging his arm, "Who cares?" 

Adrien tried to pull away, "I don't want to get you sick, Chloe." He said, honest but also looking for a way out. 

The girl scowled and jerked back an inch with pressed lips, but still remained linked to his elbow. 

Alya was still looking around, bouncing her knee up and down, "Has anyone seen them since the attack?"

"Marinette went to get something all alone," Kim supplied from the other end of the table, making a face, "Nino followed awhile later. There probably making out in a closet somewhere." 

Adrien started to cough for the millionth time and Alya visibly flinched, pulling a grossed out face, "Yuck. No. Disgusting. Mari only has the hots for--" She flinched again, glancing at Adrien, "Er."

Chloe scrunched up her lip, "Well. Out with it." 

The redhead rolled her eyes, "Oh like I'd tell you." She sneered, then started to get up, "Can someone help me find them?" 

"Find who?" Nino questioned, coming from the stairwell door, giving a confident smile.

Alya sent him a half hearted glare, hands on her hips, "You. Stupid. Where's--" 

Marinette appeared behind him as Nino passed through the door, waving nervously, "Sorry. I got lost on one of the upper levels." 

Nino shrugged, "Met on the stairs, nothing to worry about." He was about to sit down and Alya opened her mouth to object(probably that she was worried), but the bell cut them both off.

Alya and the model beside her gave Adrien's friend a funny look as he casually threw away his partly eaten food(which he normally would have shoved down his throat or dramatically said a whole sad monologue as he dropped the food in the trash) and practically skipped to class with Marinette on his heels. What's up with that? 

Adrien didn't really have a problem with his friends dating, Nino was cool and Marinette was really nice, so that meant they would be good together, right? But it was kind of confusing . . . Because he thought his friend had a crush on Alya?

Adrien caught up with him as they took their seats, "Why are you being so weird?" He asked, popping another cherry cough drop into his mouth and fiddling with the wrapper, "Kim said you guys went to mack out." 

Nino squinted at him, then started to laugh, "Dude. It's make out, and no way, I'm long over Marinette. I just got to see the attack from outside the window and I've seen videos but never the real thing, it was super cool dude, did you see?"

Adrien fumbled, blushing, "Yeah, some." 

"Ladybug is frickin' awesome, don't you think?"

A tiny little 'but what about me' popped into Adrien's head before it was quickly overtaken by, "Yeah. She's amazing."

"Oh hey dude, you think we could postpone hanging out today? I kinda wanted to go over to Marinette's place." 

The questioning look must've made it to Adrien's face because Nino laughed again, "Chillax dude, she just wanted me to help her set up her new video game consul that I have already. I'm not about to steal your girl." 

"What? Steal my--?" 

"Okay class, let's get started," Their teacher called them to order again, "Please turn to page three hundred and ninety-four in your books." 

***

The afternoon soon rolled around, without anymore akumas thankfully, and the group of four ended up waiting together outside the school. Marinette was extra jittery, Nino was more happy than usual, Alya was obviously trying to find a way to break it to the others that she and Adrien were going to his house without anyone else. And Adrien? Well, with Chloe still on his arm, he was just trying to keep his mental sanity for a few more minutes. 

Nino finally gave Alya an out, "We got cut off earlier dude, you're good with me going to Marinette's about the consul?" 

The blond smiled, "Yeah, absolutely. We can hang out anytime." 

"Cool," He replied, "Hey Mari?" 

The dark haired girl popped out of her gaze, "Hum?"

"You ready to go?"

"Sure." She blinked, then explained, "I'd invite you too Alya, but I figured you probably had ladyblogging to do." 

"You're totally fine girl! I've got tons of stuff I still have to edit. Beat Nino in whatever game you play." Alya responded, giving a conspirator wink, "He's terrible at Just Dance." 

Marinette giggled but then, "Hey wait, how do you know?" 

Nino grabbed her by the hand and gently, but purposefully, pulled her towards her family's bakery, "Wouldn't want your parents to worry Mari. Bye Adrien, bye traitor." 

Alya was blushing from the girl's question but stuck her tongue out at him, "Bye Mari, bye loser." 

"Disgusting." Chloe grumbled at Adrien's side, "Urgh."

The reporter whirled on Chloe, hands on her hips, "Adrien is probably contagious you know . . ."

"Then we can be sick together, right Adrikins?"

"Sure, if you want." Adrien answered half heartedly, giving Alya a 'it's fine, calm down' look that was surprisingly effective.

The Gorilla pulled up a few seconds later, allowing him to pull himself from the blond's hold and hop in the limo, bringing Alya with him.

Chloe squinted, "What are you doing with--" 

"None of your business." Alya snapped then slammed the car door, and sat back, ignoring the seat belt, "Drive, big man." 

And surprisingly, he did.

***

***

"So let me get this straight," Nino said, swallowing the last bite of chocolate filled pastry and giving Marinette a thoughtful look, "You've been Ladybug this whole time?"

The two teens were sitting in Marinette's room in front of the computer, discussing identities and video games. Her parents had left a quarter of an hour ago to fill a catering order at a wedding so they decided to talk casually in her room.

Nino seemed really interested in Tikki, asking about her lucky abilities and powers and other Ladybugs before Marinette. The thought of someone else being Ladybug wasn't a unwelcome thought to the heroine, but definitely a foreign one. She found herself just as curious about the past lives as Nino was. 

"How do you know so much about kwamis?" Tikki had asked, half through the conversation.

Nino shrugged and smiled, "I keep up with the Ladyblog like everybody else dude, Alya had an interview this weekend with Chat Noir himself. He explained a lot of stuff about the miraculous that us civilians don't know about but he wasn't really clear on the kwami origins . . ." 

Tikki beamed proudly, and proceeded to tell him and Marinette about many Ladybugs and Chat Noirs before the current ones, knights, spies, heroes of every age. 

Mari wondered if Chat Noir's kwami was as knowledgeable as hers or if the duo didn't know about the history Tikki was aware of herself. 

And now Nino was asking, had she always been Ladybug? There were a lot of different answers in her opinion. Had she been born with her miraculous? No. Had she been Ladybug since the school year started? Yes. Had she always had the Ladybug part of her inside somewhere? Possibly, it seemed that way. 

"What do you mean?" She settled to respond. 

Nino squinted at the ceiling and leaned back in her chair, thinking about his words, "I mean do you remember it?" 

"Remember past Ladybugs?" 

"Yeah. Like reincarnations of yourself or something?" 

"I don't think that's how reincarnation works . . . But, honestly? Maybe." Nino looked interested so she continued, "Sometimes when I'm Ladybug, I get the weirdest feeling that I've lived that moment before, you know?" 

The boy nodded, "Totally. How often?" 

"Once every transformation probably. I've kind of gotten used to it, along with heightened abilities and senses . . . Everything is different but the same. "

"Sounds legit." Nino mused, blinking away his swirling thoughts, "But do you clearly remember anything?"

Marinette shrugged somewhat nervously and offered a smile, "Not really."

He shrugged too, "Worth a shot . . . So, is Chat Noir really like that? Just super friendly?" 

Marinette tucked her knees up to her chest, resting her chin, "Kind of." She answered, snorting but smiling, "I think he was holding back a little with Alya. Every other sentence he says to me is flirting or a cat pun, it's horrid, for real." 

Nino groaned sympathetically, rubbing his forehead and straightening his hat, "Dude. I know what you mean, Adrien makes literally the worst puns in existence." 

Marinette flushed at the mention of him but nodded awkwardly, "Yeah." 

The DJ waited a moment before questioning, "You really like my friend, don't you?" 

A big, nervous laugh bubbled from her throat, "Duh! I mean--what?" She squeaked, "Ha-ha! Adrien is nice. And stuff. Yeah." 

He narrowed his eyes just slightly and Marinette squirmed under Nino's gaze for a few seconds before he relieved her, "Yeah. He's cool." He quickly changed the subject when he saw something pop up on her computer screen, "Boop." He said, pointing. 

Marinette looked back and pulled her rolling chair close to the desk, "It's a Ladyblog update, wanna see it?" 

"Sure."

The girl clicked and scrolled, finding a paragraph and a picture of a small, black, grumpy-looking kwami with neon green eyes against a white backdrop. 

"Plagg?" Tikki squeaked, "How did Alya get a picture of Plagg?"

"Chat Noir sent it to her," Nino answered, eyes scanning over the blog entry Alya wrote.

Tikki scoffed, "Probably took a million pounds of Camembert as bribery for him to even stay still that long." She mumbled, rolling her eyes.

Another notification popped up on the girl's screen causing Nino to gulp and the other two to jump up and to action. An akuma attack was happening right now. 

"Tikki, spots on!" With a flash of pink shimmer, Marinette was transformed into Ladybug right in front of Nino's face, "Stay here." She commanded in a strong tone that Nino had never heard her use. 

"But I can help--" 

She pulled out her yo-yo and was on the balcony in seconds, her classmate following stubbornly though he was slower, "No way. Stay here, I'm serious. I need you to cover my parents for me, okay?" Marinette would not let Nino be put in danger for her careless mistakes earlier that day. It wasn't fair of her and it wasn't right. Nino was her friend and she didn't doubt him but she wouldn't let anyone else put themselves in harm's way for her. Chat was bad enough . . .

Nino looked at her funny, somewhat confused in her sudden macho, "East of the Tower, be careful dude, okay?" 

Ladybug gave him a quick smile, "This ain't my first rodeo kid." Then she flung her yo-yo and went swinging off to save the city from another akuma. 

***

***

Ladybug was always there before him during akuma attacks. It made Chat feel kind of guilty. She took her job seriously and was always on time, but Chat? 

Well, Chat had just spent the last five minutes bribing an immortal creature with cheese, for a picture so he could let Alya post it for all of Paris to see. Not exactly the epitome of seriousness if he was being honest.

But he heard the sirens from his open window, called for Plagg and then jumped to the nearest roof with ease. Alya would be fine in his room. Chat ran to the sound of smashing and small explosions, not even needing his heightened senses to find the direction on the attack. 

Wait, was that a pile of beach sand? 

Landing in the behind the akuma in a empty street, he saw Ladybug already fighting the tall man in dark sunglasses. 

"Nice of you to drop in." She said, giving him a smile that was somewhat smug. Since, you know, the akuma suddenly turned on Chat. 

Numbed by his Lady's smile, he didn't have time to jump out of the way as the akuma blasted him, "Hawaii!"

Chat was momentarily worried he was being made blind, when he realised he had sunglasses on. And a matching lei and crazy, flower printed beach shirt over his suit.

The hero couldn't help but start to laugh. If his father could see him now. 

The akuma grinned triumphantly, "Ha! See? Vacation time is necessary and therapeutic! Don't you agree?" 

Lady had a hand on her spotted hip, "A vacation sounds nice, but you can't blast random buildings into tourist attractions." 

The villain glanced around at the ski resort, sandy beach dunes and cabin in the woods respectively, all in the place of buildings, then stood up straighter, "Everyone needs some relaxation." He said sharply, noting both heroes on either side of him. 

Ladybug flung her yo-yo, tangling his legs and pulling hard, sending him backwards onto the street pavement. 

"Ow!" He cried out, trying to yank himself free.

Chat made a grab for the akuma's arms and hands, trying to stop the blasts, but the man struggled.

"New York! France! Egypt!" He called, sending the tourist attire for each area onto Chat and over his flower shirt.

He now had on a 'I heart NY' t-shirt on with his Hawaii outfit, a foam, teal crown for the Statute of Liberty, a cotton beret over the crown and a weird, Pharaoh-like garb over the beret. Also, he was pretty sure he was sporting a thin mustache and a dark, four-inch-from-his-face goatee.

All in all, he couldn't see very well with his multiple hats and the akuma pulled from his grasp.

And worse still, trying to pull the stuff off wasn't working, in fact, the clothing was clinging tighter to him. 

"Chat! The sunglasses!" Lady called. That would've been real helpful if he could, you know, *see*. 

Normally, his hearing could've given him a rough idea of what was happening and how to help, but they were muffled by his thick beret and Pharaoh hat. All he could hear was Ladybug's yo-yo whirling with the Lucky Charm and the akuma blasting stuff with famous cities or countries.

"Dubai! Australia! Alaska!" 

Chat couldn't tell if Ladybug was being hit, but if she was, it was only a matter of time before she was covered in souvenirs as well.

So he took out his baton and called, "That's all you got?" 

There was a brief silence so Chat continued his taunt, "I know Lady is beautiful and all, trust me, I know--" She didn't groan so Adrien took that as a good sign. She was probably making one of those genius plans of hers, "--But what does it take for a cat to get a little attention around here?" 

The man yelled from far in front of him, "London!" But the blond was ready. 

He smacked the blast out of the air and into what he assumed was a car nearby, running for the voice as it called out more travelling destinations, "Brazil! California!" 

Chat hit all the blasts to the side, then pulled the akuma into an arm lock as Lady grabbed the sunglasses from the man's face. 

He stopped struggling and Chat could finally pull the craziness from his head just enough to see. 

He was met with the sight of Ladybug in tough combat boots and a puffy red coat with light brown fur around the hood on her shoulders. It quite possibly was the cutest thing he had ever seen. 

"Nice boots." He managed, probably blushing. 

Ladybug smashed the sunglasses with said boots and then gave him a grin as the akuma fluttered out hesitantly, "Got hit with Alaska. You're a sight yourself." She devilized the butterfly and set it free while Chat carefully set down the victim in his hold.

The man, still in akuma clothes but obviously not under control anymore, looked around, "Why is it snowing? It's May." 

Chat laughed and let Lady use her Miraculous to fix everything before explaining to the tall business man what had happened.

"My boss denied my vacation week and my family had to cancel our trip, I guess I was more mad than I thought . . ." He murmured. 

Lady beamed proudly, helping him stand, "Don't worry, all in a day's work." 

As the man called his wife to let her know he was okay, the heroine gave Chat their usual fistbump, letting down her confident guard long enough to cough miserably into her elbow, "This is getting a little ridiculous." 

"I know. I think I need a vacation myself." She was unamused so he tried a different approach. Chat reached in his suit pocket and was happy to find what he was looking for, "Here. Cough drop." He said, holding it out on of his gifts from Marinette, "They taste like candy." 

She looked at it for a second in his hand, then smiled warmly and accepted, "And my cat just loves his sweets." Lady said teasingly, popping it into her mouth.

"Oh yes, sweets are CATtastic." He purred smoothly, though he felt the red on his cheeks, "Pastries, cakes, chocolate, even you My Lady."

She rolled her eyes but he saw the corners of her lips quirk up, "Ha-ha. So funny." Her earring beeped and she pulled out her yo-yo to scale the newly reformed buildings, "Patrol tonight still?" She called before swinging away.

Chat grinned, "Absolutely."

"See you then!" 

***

***

Little did they know, that Alya had crept out of Adrien's room almost the second he was gone like any good reporter and caught most of the attack on video. Specifically, the last moments of inaction between Ladybug and her classmate. As Adrien transformed that night to meet his Lady, Alya was back in her room, replaying several seconds of the footage over and over again. 

When Chat handed her the cough drop . . . Maybe she was crazy . . . Or maybe Adrien was just oblivious . . . But did Ladybug look like she recognized those cough drops?

***

***

Chat Noir had been to her parents' bakery. In civilian form. Marinette was positive. 

"But how do you know?" Tikki asked, after swallowing a big bite of cookie. 

Marinette had relayed the whole story of the akuma to her kwami and Nino, still in her room, after her parents came home and checked to make sure she was okay. ("We're fine! We've been playing Mario Kart the whole time!")

"Tikki, trust me. I'm one-hundred-percent sure." The heroine said confidently. 

"But they're just cough drops Mari, anyone could've bought them." Nino reminded her, sounding confused. 'Chat hands her a single frickin' cough drop and she turns into Alya with the damn conspiracy theories,' He thought.

"Ha! That's what you think." Marinette crossed her arms and smirked, trying to look superior but failing because she was actually pretty excited.

"Just spill the beans Buggie, you're killing me dude." 

"My mom makes homemade cough drops every flu season, she has since I was little." The two's eyes grew, "She puts them out in a bowl in the shop for free. And Chat gave me one of my mom's cough drops." 

Tikki's jaw was slack, "You're sure it was your mom's?" 

"I hate the taste of other cough drops but the one he gave me was delicious and it was wrapped in pale pink wax paper, like my mom wraps them. He came to the bakery guys, I'm sure he did. And he's only been here once as Chat and I was with him the whole time and no cough drops were taken." 

"But what if he hasn't been to the bakery?" Nino voiced, "What if he just got them for someone else? What if your parents just gave a random stranger one? Or what if you gave him one without even knowing?" 

Marinette let her head fall back on her chair, sighing, "That's a good point." 

Nino gave her a smile, tapping his own temple and indicating that big, smart brain of his, "But still, even if he came to the bakery himself, tons of people are in here everyday." 

"That's true too." Mari admitted, biting her lip, but then thinking of something, "I can just ask him, we have patrol tonight." She decided.

Tikki crossed her arms and said softly, "Marinette, you know what I've told you about identities." 

"But, look at Nino! He's fine!" 

The boy wiggled his limbs around, showing they were still connected to his body, and then gave a double thumbs up before snatching a cookie from the plate on Marinette's desk.

"He found out five hours ago." Tikki pointed out, which was true but Marinette didn't want to dwell on that. 

"I know it's dangerous Tikki but we face danger everyday. I'd much rather face it with my friends than without them."

The kwami sighed, "Look, I'm not saying you can't, I'm your helper, not your master . . . I just want you to take it slow. Revealing identities puts a lot of stress on the Miraculous and it can harm Plagg and I, if you don't proceed with caution." 

Nino frowned and Marinette blinked, "How is that possible?" She asked, "Is really that bad?" 

Tikki was now attempting to backtrack, "Well, sometimes, yes. Your Miraculous is wired deeply in your emotions, it usually shields against akumas but if you become upset enough . . . Well . . . Last time, Ladybug and Chat Noir found out each other's identities right off the bat and it was too much at once and . . ."

Marinette moved to cradle the little immortal in hands, "Tikki, did something horrible happen?" 

She scrunched up her face as if trying to hold back tears, "Plagg almost died." She admitted, her voice small.

"But-But . . . How is that possible?" Nino questioned, leaning towards the duo with a sympathetic expression.

Tikki sighed, "Chat Noir was akumatized, Plagg couldn't get out of the transformation . . . I know this is important to you Marinette, but I really don't want to talk about it."

The girl took a big breath, and passed Tikki another cookie, "It's okay, I understand." If something . . . So terrible had happened that Plagg, an immortal, had almost died, Marinette didn't want to imagine the details of what else had happened. She shivered, just at the thought. 

Nino, always so collected, caught the distress in both girls' eyes, "How about we play Mario Kart for real? I have to be home soon anyway and you two are depressing as hell." He suggested, earning a laugh and agreement.

Marinette gladly pushed the unhappy thoughts from her head and focussed on winning.

***

"Do you think they can hear us?" Chat Noir wondered out loud that night. They had just stopped for a breath, sitting back on the slanted roof side by side. He had already asked her about the Ladyblog interview and if it was okay if they took some pictures every now and then for the reporter. Ladybug accepted immediately, to his surprise.

"Who?" She questioned, making a face.

"The people who live in the houses. The ones that we run all over constantly. Do you think they can hear us?"

Ladybug shrugged, "Probably. They might even be listening to us right now."

Chat tilted to his side, yelling to the shingles, causing her head to throb, "Can you hear us?!" Then coughed once and pressed his ear to the roof for a moment of silence. He shrugged, "Guess not." 

Ladybug rubbed her temples, "I can hear you just fine." She grumbled.

Chat sent her an apologetic gaze, "Sorry My Lady, is your head bothering you?" He asked softly. 

She sighed, "Kind of. Neither of us are really in good health, are we?" 

Chat nodded but shrugged like 'what can you do?'and said, "At least it's May and the weather is nice." 

"That's true." She agreed, staring at the few stars visible beyond the city lights. Everything was so beyond her control and yet, it felt like everyone was waiting for her to lead all of Paris. And this thing, this strange warmth that grew inside her when she thought about getting to know Chat outside the mask. He was sure to be ridiculous, but in a good way, a way Marinette could get used to.

Before, when he wanted to know her, she had stayed logical. If Hawkmoth found out, it would be unthinkable. . . But now? Everything was too complicated. Her insides were being torn apart. Nino knew her for the total of a day and he was still alive, but what would be the cost? She could have Chat, she was sure he would be willing, but what would the cost be for both of them?

"Do you ever think about stars Chat?"

"Hum?" He murmured.

"They're just tiny speckles of light to us. But they're actually huge balls of gas burning in space. What looks like a tiny white dot can light up planets for centuries. Do you ever think about that?" 

He hummed and agreement, blinking with big green eyes at the sky. Once he started talking, he just kept going, not that Ladybug minded, "Do you ever think about how strange it is to be human? Like, to be a organization of flesh that's so feeble? To be awake, to think for yourself, to talk, to see, to be different from everyone else. To like blue more than red while someone next to you likes red more than blue? Old people being around young people and the world being so different from different eyes. We're just these little fleas on this big rock floating in space." 

That last one got her and the girl laughed, but not at him, "Shower thoughts with Paris' heroes."

Chat smiled over at her, "It'd be a hit for sure."

It was so easy. Have you been to the bakery? Do I know you? Please tell me I do. Let's hang out and play games and make up another silly handshake Chat, you know you want to.

And he probably did want to. But Ladybug wasn't going to hurt him or his kwami, she wouldn't let him take to fall for her like he always did. She couldn't.

"We better finish up patrol." She told him, pulling herself up and giving him a hand. 

She wouldn't say anything stupid, she wouldn't ask questions . . . Just, "Thanks for the cough drop earlier, it was really good." 

He smiled, less smirk and more earnest, the kind of smiles she only saw when they were alone, "No problem, my friend gave them to me."

Ladybug nodded slowly and they continued their patrol as usual, as if this piece of information didn't change everything.


	2. Exhibit B

Alya was not wussing around. This was Ladybug's identity they were talking about here, and as a loyal reporter, she felt she should investigate.

"Cough drops. Where did you get them?"

"What? Alya, it's two in the morning, go to sleep." Adrien mumbled into his phone, and Alya heard Plagg mutter some unintelligent words in the background.

"I'm not playing Agreste. Where'd you get the cough drops?"

"The cherry ones?" He questioned, after a deep cough. He did not sound very model-like over the phone.

"No. The unicorn flavored ones." Alya said smartly.

Adrien didn't say anything for a moment and the girl barked at him, "Adrien! This isn't the time to be taking cat naps!"

He chuckled drying, ". . . Cat naps . . ."

"Where'd you get the cough drop?" Alya demanded.

"Uhhhhhh . . . Marinette, yeah, Marinette. She gave them to me."

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng gave you the cough drops and then you gave one to Ladybug."

"Yeah. Alya, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing," The red head said quickly, lucky that Adrien was to tired to recognize her eagerness to drop the subject for his sake, "Just wondering. Goodnight model boy."

"Uh? Goodnight?"

She hung up the phone and fell back onto her bed. Well that proved it, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Ladybug was friends with Marinette.

***

Alya was going crazy. This information was to much for her and she was bouncing her knee up and down rapidly while waiting for Marinette to rush into class late like always.

'Does Marinette know Ladybug's identity? Or does she know her in civilian form? Both? Why didn't she tell me? Does she not know herself? Am I the first to start piecing this story together? Chat doesn't know Ladybug, but what if Adrien does? Holy shit, what if Ladybug has been under my nose this whole time?!'

"Alya?" Nino asked, raising his eyebrows at her. Alya realized her internal screaming was coming out of her mouth as a high pitched squealing noise.

Adrien was giving her a concerned look, probably remembering their late night conversation, "Are you feeling alright? I hope you didn't catch my cold."

"What? No," The girl waved her hand dismissively, "I'm totally good."

The boys gave her twin unimpressed faces.

"Seriously, I'm fine--Marinette! Jesus girl, I've been waiting for an eternity!"

Her best friend looked at her curiously, cocking her head while taking her seat, "Huh?"

"Gimme your bag." Alya said, reaching closer.

Marinette jerked, holding it to her side protectively, casting a quick glance to the side, "W-What?"

"Can I see your bag?" The redhead asked, more polite.

"Um, it's got a lot of junk in it," She peaked in, "Tell me what you want."

"Cough drops. How many of them did your mom make?"

The boys were still turned toward her, both squinting but for different reasons, and Marinette was giving her a funny look, relaxing, "Huh? Like a hundred, I think."

Alya took out her little notebook, doing some quick math, "Were have all your cough drops been?"

Her best friend jutted her chin forward, confused, "What?"

The reporter waved her hand around, "Like what's the break down. How many are in the store, how many do you have, excetra excetra."

"Um, well . . . There's about fifty in the store bowl, my mom gave some to her family, like thirty I think . . . And then I've had ten, plus five currently in my bag for backup . . . Why are you asking this?"

'A hundred minus fifty, minus thirty . . . ' Alya avoided her friend's gaze, focusing intently on her paper, "Research purposes. I'm taking a survey."

Marinette didn't look like she bought it(neither did Adrien, to be honest), but the class was soon called to order before either could voice their concern.

***

So. Alya had been thinking. There were roughly three ways that Ladybug would have recognized the Dupain-Cheng cough drops. One, the most likely, was that she had been into the bakery and had picked up a few personally. Two, slightly less likely, was that the ones Sabine gave to her family had somehow included Ladybug. (Note to self, ask Marinette if she has any cousins in the Paris area around their age.) And lastly, that Marinette herself had given Ladybug the cough drops, whether knowing her identity or not. God, that meant that Ladybug and Chat Noir and herself could be in the same frickin' class! There were just too many variables for Alya to even consider--

" . . . Ya? Alya. Hello?"

The redhead snapped suddenly into her surroundings, standing in front of her locker. Beside her was Nino, giving her a look of unimpressed confusion, "Sorry, what?"

"Alya." He said simply, propping a book in his own open locker, "You're acting like a nut case."

She pressed her lips together but tried to shrug it off, "So I'm acting normal then?"

Nino, in Alya's honest opinion, should drop the DJ thing and start psychology instead because he was damn good at mind reading, "Ever since the interview with Chat," He scrunched his dark eyebrows, "You've just been kind of off."

Alya, completely caught off guard by his comment, just stood there. Like, yeah, she had been spending a lot of time with Adrien, probably more than their post-identity-relationship promoted, but still. That wasn't weird, she could be friends with him, she wanted to.

The girl knew Nino had no ill intentions towards her for suddenly becoming all chummy with his best bro, Nino wasn't the type to feel that way. So maybe . . . Was he just concerned about her?

He ducked his head forward an inch, eyes barely visible under the brim of his trademark red cap, "Just . . . Don't overwork yourself, okay?"

Alya was kind of . . . Confused. Sure, she and Nino were friends. Hell, he was her go-to meme dealer on a bad day, but they didn't really operate like this. Nino was bad insults and midnight conversations and 'I swear to god if we don't get Adrienette together soon, I'm gonna explode.' But, um? Earnest and voiced concern? Alya was pretty sure that wasn't how things worked. Not that she was mad or anything, just . . .

"Yeah, I'm good." She replied after a moment, "I'm alright and everything . . . Yeah."

Nino was still watching the floor, seeming slightly embarrassed, or . . . Something.

Without even thinking, Alya reached out and and squeezed his shoulder(God, look at the habits she had already picked up from Adrien), giving him a friendly smile as he glanced up, but then proceeding to drop her voice lower, "Don't stress dude, it's bad for your chakras."

Nino squinted, smiling just a little, "I feel like that was some form of mockery."

Alya laughed, taking a few steps back to head to class, "Reporter Nino always breaks the story first." She called cheerfully, satisfied when he rolled his eyes good naturedly.

Alya might be a reporter, and she might be a normal teenage girl at the same time, but she was admittedly still learning how to juggle both. (Or 'keep a healthy balance' as Nino would say.)

***

***

Nino was in deep, alright? And he didn't really know how it happened.

He wasn't really like Marinette, in her way of tripping over her words and blushing furiously every time Adrien spoke to her. Sure, she was getting better, but she would still get random spouts of embarrassment and stuttering.

And Nino wasn't like Adrien either, getting a dopey look on his face whenever anyone said a word about Ladybug.

On the outside, Nino probably seemed totally fine. He talked to Alya like a normal person and didn't get embarrassed when she looked his way. But god. He was dying on the inside.

And how was that fair? At least Marinette and Adrien had come to terms with their crushes(er, mostly) but he was so far gone that he had almost got complete control . . . Almost.

Of course, he had to blurt out being worried about her, straight to her actual face. Urgh. But he was worried, she was being a total space cadet lately and that couldn't be good. Alya was always focused, when she wasn't, something was definitely wrong.

He wondered . . . If maybe Alya had discovered Marinette's alter ego and that was why she kept blanking out.

Theories aside, Nino was not going to be a weirdo around her. He had too many things to worry about anyway.

Like the fact that Marinette was freaking out, spinning around in his office chair so much that Nino was sure she would puke soon.

"I got them from my friend! What the cheese does that mean?" She exclaimed, throwing up her hands and kicking her foot on the ground to spin again, "I didn't even know he had friends!"

"Dude." Nino tried, she was gonna throw up, he was sure.

Marinette took it as him trying to warn her for being mean, "Well, that's an overstatement, I mean I didn't know he had friends in my circle, holy crap, what if he's friends with my mom?" The girl started giggling, "That would be hilarious! He would never hear the end of it." She spun the chair again.

"Mari, dude, calm your ditsy-ness."

The girl laughed, resting her arms on the back of the chair, "I'm acting like Alya, huh?"

Nino snorted a smile, "Exactly. You usually don't get this excited around just me."

"Just you?" She repeated softly.

"You know, you always wanna talk to Adrien, not me and stuff, which is totally cool cause you don't owe me anything . . ."

"What?"

He shrugged, "Yeah."

"Nino." Marinette said gently, kicking him lightly, "I'm friends with you too, besides, Adrien barely knows me."

Despite his smile, suddenly it came out, "You should talk to Adrien."

The girl raised her eyebrows, "Have you missed all of my failed attempts?" She wondered, trying to sound casual about the situation despite her blush.

"I mean as Ladybug. You should talk to him. It might give more confidence dude."

Marinette blinked, considering it, "Maybe."

Nino shrugged. Inside, he was considering all the times that Adrien had gushed over Ladybug but if he told his friend that, she would be sure to lose her head. And he just wanted his friends to both be happy, so he gave her a little nudge in the right direction, "Just an idea."

Marinette smiled, "Okay." And then squinted, "Do you have any idea what Alya wanted those cough drops for?"

Nino held up his hands, "Don't look at me dude, I don't know."

"Reporting is hard I guess." She said, then gave him a small smile. Tikki flew into the room and to her cheek, holding a half eaten cookie.

"Are we still talking about Chat Noir?" She questioned, her voice light but with underlying disapproval.

Marinette laughed, "You wish." She said sarcastically but still kind, "Actually, we were talking about Alya."

Tikki softened, beamed as well, "Oh. Did she break another big story?"

"Not really, she's just being kind of weird." Nino volunteered, cocking his head, "She's so . . . Like, unfocused lately."

"And focusing and determination is basically Alya's personality." Marinette told Tikki.

The kwami hummed, "She probably has a lot on her mind since the Ladyblog has been gaining so much popularity lately."

"Ooo." Marinette teased, "Look who keeps up with the Ladyblog all of the sudden."

Tikki was already red but Nino guessed she was blushing, "Well it's a good website!" She defended.

"Umhum." Marinette singsonged.

"It's true." Nino pointed out.

Then she laughed, "You two are useless."

***

***

The akumas had calmed down in the past few days and Chat was finally recovering from his cough, along with Ladybug, who told him she was having less headaches. Marinette even, seemed less sniffly.

With less akumas, the patrols between himself and Ladybug were back to their usual schedule on every other night. His friends were usually busy on the weekends, Nino said his only DJing gigs were then, Alya constantly had tons of Ladyblog content to edit and post, and Marinette jokingly said she slept her whole weekend away every time, which he guessed wasn't really too far off.

So it was nice to see Lady during the short break, to have a friend to talk to when his others were busy. Or sleeping.

But as the heroine yawned for the third time, her eyes droopy and wet, he realized that she wasn't to far from sleep herself.

He let out a half of a laugh and took her hand, "Are you alright My Lady? You look like you might drop any second now."

She was tired, but not enough to let him getting away with giving her his princely kiss, puling back and pouting slightly, "This stinks. Why can't we patrol in the daytime?"

"It's more romantic this way." Chat chirped happily, sending her a quick wink.

She rolled her eyes, smiling just a little, "Yeah, right." Before she flung her yo-yo and swung to the next building.

The blond caught up a few seconds later, beaming as he got an idea. He dug his phone out of the inside pocket of his suit and logged on to the Ladyblog with the password Alya gave him. Sneaking up behind her and she leisurely walked in front of him, he held the phone out and grinned, "Say cheese!"

"Wha--"

But by the way he was cackling, she knew he already had his picture.

"Lemme see." She said boredly.

He hesitated, fearing she would delete it, but eventually turned the phone towards her.

"I just look like one red blur."

"It's a very beautiful blur."

"Oh shut up and take another."

He quickly saved the blurry photo to his camera roll, much to her disliking, and held out his phone again for another.

That one was much better and even more adorable somehow as Ladybug put up a peace sign, stuck out her tongue just a little, and looked up off camera. Chat himself crossed his eyes and scrunched up his nose.

The two examined it and the dark haired girl burst into a radiant smile, "That's cute, I'll admit it."

Chat laughed and started typing a caption.

C: Ladybug thinks I'm cute. Best day of my life guys.

"Uh, no. No way that's going on the internet, you crazy cat."

He pouted, "Then what about . . ."

C: Is my girl a beauty or what?

"Chat!"

The hero sighed in defeat, "Fine . . ."

C: I wanted to title this one "Patrol with this cutie" But she wouldn't let me.

She pressed her lips, looking like she was ready to roll her eyes, "It's manageable."

"Post?"

"Go ahead."

Chat pressed the publish button and then let the picture load before tucking his head into his shoulders, slowing turning pink, "Dang."

Ladybug was about to leap to the next building when she caught his gaze, "What is it?"

He showed her. The picture was forty-five seconds old and it had five likes and a comment that read: 'It's okay Chat, you're both cuties to me <3'

The heroine gave him a confident smirk, "Look who's got some fans." She paused, "All of the sudden."

Chat gasped at her, teasingly holding his heart with one hand, "My Lady, how rude."

She covered a giggle, ruffled his out of sorts hair and then vaulted onto the next roof, continuing with their patrol. Ladybug even pretended not to notice when he took a short video of her, just looking back and shaking her head with a amused roll of her sky blue eyes.

***

"How bad?"

"Alya, we have to stop talking like this." It was almost one and the reporter was calling him, shaking him away from gazing at the pictures and the sweet comments pouring in on the Ladyblog.

"I said how bad Agreste. I'm trying to help your lovesick ass."

"How bad what?" Adrien asked, rubbing his eyes as Plagg started grunting compliants.

"Reporter wanna know where you got you tissues from?" He grunted.

"Shh." The boy hissed back.

"How bad as in how far gone are you. As in how far down the shit stream have you let yourself get."

"Uh, English please?"

"Tell me how much you love Ladybug."

Adrien choked on air, "What?" His voice was three pitches higher than usual.

"Adrien. I need to know. I need to know how much or I can't help you."

"Alya . . ." He grumbled.

"I don't need any gory details, just . . . Tell me if you really love her, please."

Everything was silent for a moment, even Plagg.

"I love her." He whispered. He wished she were here to hear him admit out loud for the first time, but she was probably asleep in her bed somewhere in another part of Paris. Someplace he hadn't reached yet, someplace he didn't know if he really belonged.

Alya sighed over the phone and he didn't know if he had ever heard her so distraught, "Adrien, you know that we all want what's best for you right?"

The saying made his insides squirm. What's best. Not what he most enjoyed, or wanted, or needed. What was best. What kept up that perfect image he had to live up to.

But it wasn't Alya's fault that his father used that phrase often, and Adrien was willing to bet the words meant different things to her than to his father.

"What do you mean?"

" . . . I mean, when the dust clears, we're all going to be right by your side, okay? No matter what happens, me, Nino, Marinette, hell even Chloe, we just want you to be happy." She took a breath, "Does that make sense?"

He nodded slightly to the phone, "Yeah. I want you to be happy too."

She snorted, going back to her usual personality, "Gees I hope so, I'm making a lot of hard choices for you. Now tell me about Ladybug."

So Adrien grinned, and it took almost two hours but he complied.

***

***

It started out normal enough.

Word of an akuma on the evening news and a call for Tikki and suddenly, Ladybug was swinging towards the action like a girl on a mission.

"Urgh!" She heard a female scream, whom she soon realized was her new villain, "You need to stop being so perfect! Don't you understand how stressful it is to have such high expectations to live up to??"

"Um, actually, it's still pretty--" The boy responded, his voice familiar in her ears. At first, she thought it was Chat but the voice was much more filled with panic than Chat's pride would ever allow.

Ladybug dropped onto the Tower softly, eyeing down at the akuma and the hostage boy on a lower level, god, that blond hair was familiar, what in the--

Marinette almost fell off her high perch, grabbing the beam next to her with a indignant screech. Adrien Agreste had glanced up from his spot next to the akumatized girl, green eyes blown wide.

Noticing the sound, the villain glared up, catching the sight of the heroine and pointed at her, a blast of purple light coming from her finger.

Barely righting herself after recognizing the hostage, Ladybug had just enough time to jump out of the way. God, where was Chat? He was usually here with her and ready to run diversion tactics. That was their way, Chat distracted and Ladybug attacked, but she couldn't do both at once.

After dodging a few blasts, Marinette was starting to fear for Adrien. He like her, could go nowhere without a distraction. God, she would kill that stupid cat when she saw him!

So, she tried a different approach. Talking the akuma down.

"Why are you here?" The dark haired girl called down from high on the Tower, watching the akuma and Adrien carefully.

The girl was about their age, almost seventeen or so, tall, with a head of brown curls, "I'm here to get rid of stereotypes and expectations. Meaning him." She pointed a purple glowing finger at Adrien's face, who, to his credit, didn't flinch.

Ladybug pitched forward before she realized it, dropping down to a lower beam, "Hey, hey, hey. Getting rid of stereotypes is a good thing, I commend you for that, but this isn't the way to go about it."

"Oh really?" The girl responded darkly, just glaring as her finger was still pointed directly at him, "The rich, blonde, beautiful model with more money than he knows what to do with?" Then her words were directed at the boy, "Every picture they plaster up of you in your pretty little sport jackets sends good people into self-doubt. Don't you understand what that does to people? They look at you and they think they won't ever be good enough, that they can't ever live up to that glossy photoshopped Agreste. That's wrong, and if you don't think so, there's something seriously switched around in your head."

Ladybug jumped down another beam as the akuma's words became more venomous, "That's how marketing works, that's not his fault." She said calmly. If Chat would just bound up and knock this the girl upside the head before she did something crazy like blast Adrien off the Tower, everything would be fine.

But the model looked so earnestly hurt Ladybug couldn't even believe her eyes, "It's a lot harder than you make it seem."

There was a silence.

"What?" The villain asked, no emotion in her voice.

"I said it's a lot harder than you make it seem," He looked at her with steady green eyes, suddenly seeming unafraid, "The world only ever sees one part of me. Just that glossy perfect model image. Trust me when I say, it's a lot more complicated than that."

The akuma was staring at him, holding his gaze, silent and intent on his words, "If you're against this, don't be an example." She said, her tone a warning.

"I have no wish to be anyone's example, but that's what people expect of me. I'm sorry if you thought I was personally invested in making other doubt themselves, but that's simply not true."

For a moment, the girl's finger started to fall, she looked sorry, she looked guilty, he looked like a normal person instead of an akuma. If anyone could talk down a villain, Marinette would place her bets on Adrien, with his quiet bravery and earnest words.

She knew it was true, that he wasn't lying, she knew that modeling wasn't the easiest thing for him, and he never asked to be his father's son.

But the akuma changed her mind in a second, bringing up her finger and sending a blast directly into his face.

Ladybug shrieked, dropping down immediately between the boy as he leaned over and the girl as she pointed again, "Don't touch him!" She screamed.

"I might as well take out you too, the way you put yourself on a pedestal." She growled.

"I don't--"

Adrien let out a gasp, holding his face, half behind her. He was burned, blinded, or something, something horrible. 'God! Where was Chat?!'

But then the blond started laughing, "Wow." He said cheerily, "My father would kill you." He didn't say it as a threat or sarcasm, just a simple fact.

The akuma pressed her lips, "Well that's what you--"

Ladybug whirled her yo-yo around her torso and pulled forward, still unaware of where the akuma was hiding in her, but tangling up her arms the best she could, "What did you do to him?"

The girl scoffed, "See for yourself."

Adrien snorted loudly, "I'm fine M-Ladybug, she made my nose gigantic is all."

Ladybug didn't turn around but the thought was just enough to confuse her, and the villain jerked forward, sending her backwards with a shove.

Ever clumsy Marinette, Ladybug tripped backwards while trying to catch her balance, swinging back over the side of the Tower's beam. The only thing that kept her from falling was her yo-yo, still tangled around the girl.

The akuma almost pitched as well, but Adrien grabbed her strongly by the shoulders, yanking her back harshly onto the ground and leaning over the side, "Ladybug?"

Marinette was kicking herself internally and telling herself to focus. Swinging back and forth, she manage to land on a lower beam, now without her yo-yo, "I'm here." She called, half for Adrien's benefit but mostly so the akuma would come fight he instead of blasting her friend again.

The girl had untangled the weapon now, leaving it abandoned on the beam above as she dangerously leaped down to where Lady was scrambling to stand.

She glared at the heroine, pure Hawkmoth anger in her eyes, "Give me your Miraculous! Show me that you're just like everyone else!"

Ladybug swung a hard kick straight into the akuma's side and she leaned over with a gasp of pain, "That's Hawkmoth talking."

The girl erupted with furious anger, "That is not me talking!" Her voice was deeper and more gravely, her fists shaking by her sides, "Give me your Miraculous!" She screamed.

This wasn't good, Ladybug was weaponless and standing before the very clearly pissed off akuma, Lord only knew where Chat was right now, and Adrien was defenseless up above.

Or maybe not.

As the akuma dove for her, a bright red yo-yo smacked her in the temple hard, causing her to fall to the ground, passed out.

"It's the locket, on her necklace!" Adrien said, the other end of the yo-yo in his hand, leaning way further over the edge of his beam that Marinette found safe.

The blue eyed girl fumbled for a moment, surprised in his quick action but pulled the necklace from the girl's heavy, tired form and smashed it with her foot.

Picking up her yo-yo, Adrien let go of the string, and it whirled back into place magically, before she used it to de-evilize the butterfly.

The girl groaned and Marinette remembered Adrien being blasted, "Um, hey up there, are you okay?"

The blond beamed at her over the side, his nose so comically large that she momentarily couldn't remember how it looked normally, "I'm fine, thanks. Cool yo-yo."

"Yeah, um, nice shot."

"Thanks, but you think you could get my nose back to how it was? I feeling like my lungs are too small for my nostrils." He let out a laugh, more of a large snort with his current state.

"Yeah, uh," Ladybug glanced around for her Lucky Charm, realized she hadn't called for one, then called out a self conscious, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The girl sat up instantly, "What?"

Ladybug crouched beside her, offering a smile, "You were akumatized, everything's fine now."

She groaned, "Damn it. I got mad at Adrien Agreste, didn't I?" She didn't wait for an answer nor make any attempt to pull herself up, "God, my friend has depression and she was having one of her bad days because of some silly billboard. I just, I got so mad." She buried her face in her hands, "I am so sorry."

"It's okay!" Adrien said from above, his nose back to it's usual glory, "Nobody got hurt." He gave her that soft, heartwarming smile, "And just so you know, they have to work on me for hours before they even start talking pictures, what you see isn't the real thing."

'Have you looked in the mirror lately?!' She wanted to scream.

The normal girl groaned, "Urgh. Sorry."

"No need to apologize." Ladybug assured her, helping her stand, "Here, I'm sure your family is worried, let me take you down to the street, okay?"

She nodded and held her side as Ladybug wrapped up her yo-yo and made the slow descent, "Stay there, I'll be right back." She promised Adrien before slowly letting herself and the girl next to her fall down to the Paris streets.

There were police cars around and a family of tall brunettes were making their way towards the two.

"Tell him I'm sorry." She whispered, looking at the ground as her feet settled on it and they untangled from each other.

"He knows." Ladybug assured her, giving a smile, "He's sweet that way."

"Thanks, for um."

"It's what I do." Ladybug told her, glad that their were people out there that cared so much for their friends.

With a nod, she whizzed back up to Adrien, who was sitting patiently on the metal, a slight pink coming to his face when she held out her hand.

Both blushing, Adrien tentatively wrapped a careful arm around her side and she started back to his home, all the while trying to convince herself that she wasn't enjoying this.

***

***

Adrien tried to think back on how he got in this situation.

He remembered taking a short jog, just to the park and back as he promised his father, he remembered an akuma yelling his name. He ran towards it as people ran away, positively terrified that Hawkmoth had somehow found out his identity and was trying to hurt one of his friends.

The last thing he expected was a teenage girl with frizzy hair, glaring around to find the blond hair she was looking for. By then it was too late to hide and transform, and the akuma somehow teleported him to the Tower, not hurting him really but yelling in his face about Photoshop and self esteem. He only caught some of it, but watched as she fiddled with a necklace charm around her throat, screaming about her friend and a therapist and *something*. Adrien was doing his best to listen and try to figure out how to defeat her but his mind was whirling, trying to come up with ways to get away, if even for a second, Ladybug would be here and he had to help her but--

Then she was, holding her own but obviously struggling without her partner by her side. And Adrien possibly could've transformed, but by the time he had a second alone, Lady was below him without her yo-yo and Lucky Charm and he just had to do something, anything.

The whole thing turned out well enough and he wasn't hurt, besides his pride.

But what he couldn't figure out was why Ladybug was going to all the trouble of seeing him back home. Sure, his father would be furious with him when he found out what had happened, but she didn't know that.

And yet, she was carrying him gently, stopping at his window with a big breath, "Your dad must be worried sick about you." She said softly.

He took his hand away from her hip and brought it to the back of his neck, suddenly hot in the lack of contact, "Yeah. Worried sick isn't the exact wording I would use but yeah."

She smiled a little, "I'm sure your father loves you a lot Adrien, it would be hard not to."

He blinked. Wow, that was so sweet of her, was--

"I mean!" She cried, far too loudly, after realizing what he probably took that to mean, "You seem nice." Lady corrected herself quickly.

Then Adrien was just straight up red, feet planted, "Thanks. Um, you seem nice too. And I, uh, appreciate you bringing me back."

"It's no problem," She told him gently, slightly pink herself, "The akumas really seem to have it out for you."

Adrien choked on air, "What?" He squeaked.

"With Volpina?" She offered, absently messing with her fingers, "Though that was mostly my fault."

Oh. "Oh yeah, I'd almost forgotten about that, sorry."

"That's okay."

Adrien knew this was the time to go back into his house and leave her alone, he knew this wasn't what Alya meant by getting to know Ladybug more, but he simply couldn't pull himself away, "Sorry for using your yo-yo, I panicked."

She blinked in surprise, clear blue eyes never leaving his, "It's perfectly fine, I was kind of lost without Chat."

His heart did something weird in his chest. 'She's lost without me.'

But the momentarily excitement died quickly when she muttered, "I'm gonna kill him."

"What?"

"You could've gotten seriously hurt because of me and him, you should've gotten seriously hurt, god, what were you thinking? Trying to talk down an akuma? You can't do things like that!"

That was Adrien, always tied down, never free to make his own choices.

"Why can't I?" He asked, hands tingling by his sides, "It worked, didn't it? Besides, your Miraculous fixes everything, even if something happens to me."

Ladybug took a step back from him, disgust in her eyes, "You're just like Chat, you know that?" She growled. Her earring beeped but she paid it no mind.

Adrien couldn't do anything but stare at her.

"You walk around with a woe is me attitude and completely disregard people who love you, you want to be the fall man, you want to die like some stupid version of a martyr, and you never even think about what would happen to your family and friends, you-you, just, do want you want and worry about the consequences later!"

"That's not fair! I don't want to die like a martyr!"

"Well then you need to start recognizing the people that love you!"

"Maybe no one loves me Lady!" He shouted back, hands in his hair, eyes wide, "Have you ever thought about that?! Maybe I've been without it for so long that I don't even know what love looks like anymore!"

"You idiot!" She yelled. Before stalking forward the few steps between them and practically giving him a heart attack as he braced for the blow.

But there wasn't a blow, there was only small, gloved hands pulling him by the neck.

Nothing could have prepared him. No amount of daydreaming, or cheek privileges, or staring at her mouth so much he had memorized it, nothing. Even if she had calmly explained to him, 'Hey Adrien you idiot, I'm gonna kiss you', his brain would have still completely shut down. Just like it was doing now.

All he could feel was brave lips and her soft nose and fluttering eyelashes on his cheek, but it hit him like a goddamn tsunami.

He wasn't even sure if this was how to kiss back, but he was trying and he must've done something wrong because she drew away with a start.

Blue eyes wide, she looked close to tears, and Adrien was suddenly just so mad at the whole situation. He loved being Chat and Plagg had grown on him, but it all felt so wrong for that moment. Why couldn't they be normal people? Why couldn't he just talk to her without the mask preventing him from finding everything he ever wanted?

Because it was her, he needed her so much, so badly, and she couldn't even see it.

"Adrien." She said, eyes on the windowsill.

It took all the courage in him not to respond with a soft 'My Lady'. Because he hadn't won that yet, he needed to respect her wishes, "Ladybug." God, he hoped she could hear the love in his voice.

Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by her earrings beeping again.

She finally looked him in the eye, and all Adrien could see in them was regret, "I have to go. Stay safe Adrien."

And with that, she was gone.

***

***

"I'm the worst person ever!" Marinette moaned into her pillow as Tikki patted her shoulder.

"Oh Marinette," The kwami cooed, giving a half smile, "It wasn't that bad."

The pigtailed girl lifted her head up to send Tikki a look, "Did you see his face?" She dropped back into the pillowcase, "I can't believe I did that! I'm a despicable human being!"

Tikki rolled her eyes, and said sweetly, "Marinette, don't beat yourself up about it! He kissed you back. Er, he tried to, kind of."

The girl rolled over on her back, holding her arms out wide, "I can't believe what I've done. He doesn't know it's me Tikki, god, I've cheated my way to him."

"Cheated?"

Marinette nodded miserably, "If he doesn't like this me, it's unfair to put on the mask an pretend to be a different me to win his affections. Tikki, I'm the wooorst.**" She moaned, holding red cheeks with her hands.

Tikki looked amused and Ladybug eyed her, "You know something I don't."

The little red creature shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm immortal, I know a lot of things."

Marinette was about to resort to tickling, he could get her information and possibly a better mood, but Alya called before she acted, "Hello?"

"Girl, did you see the news?!" Her best friend shrieked, "Ladybug, god knows I love her, but she was all over Adrien."

Tikki was trying to keep a straight face as Marinette fought a groan. Great, so it was obvious then.

"What?" Marinette settled to say, not much conviction in her voice.

Alya took a breath, "And T-B-H he was eyeing her too." She sounded sad but not surprised and Marinette felt like screaming.

This was too much, too fast, Adrien, Ladybug, identities-all of it was making her head spin.

Alya called softly, "Marinette? Hon, are you good?"

"Yeah, um, yeah. I'm okay, er, I will be. I just um, need some time."

There was a pause, "You want to have a sleepover?" Alya offered after a second.

The girl softened, "That would be great, I just have to go somewhere in a few minutes . . . Meet me at the bakery at eight?"

"Perfect, bye Marinette."

The girl sat up and Tikki watched her put on a sweater, "I hope you're not about to do what I think you're about to do." The kwami mused.

"I'm not," Marinette promised, "I just need to pay a little visit to a friend."

***

Master Fu ushered her inside with a calm smile and the offer of tea and cookies. He was always one step ahead of her, offering the second cushion in the sitting area, and a cup of tea that was already poured by it, slowly kneeling on his own cushion as his little green kwami brought him his tea.

"Thank you." Master Fu said, "Would you pass our guest the cookies please?"

Wayzz was ready to comply, but Tikki beat him to it, picking up the plate herself, "No need, I've got it." She squeaked kindly and Wayzz sent her a thankful glance before passing out on a small cushion by his holder's knees.

As the girls started on cookies, Master Fu smiled at him affectionately, "He is always ready to help, Wayzz, but he also knows the importance of rest." He looked up at Ladybug, taking a sip of tea, "You know someone the same way, yes?"

Instantly, Marinette thought of Nino. He'd been ready to help her out for the past two weeks without fail, but always encouraging her not to stress herself too much. The girl nodded, confused.

"You will remember him later, when it matters." He said calmly, seating his teacup down with a small clink, "Now, I do believe you wanted to ask me something?"

Marinette fiddled with her hands before jumping in, "I wanted to know why you picked Chat."

Master Fu merely raised his eyebrows but Tikki looked shocked, "Marinette! You can't ask questions like that."

The girl winced, bringing up her shoulders and avoiding the kwami's gaze, "I just, I'm worried about him getting distracted. I need to be able to rely on him, and I'm just starting to question . . ."

"Does this have something to do with the situation with Adrien Agreste?" The elderly man asked gently.

She buried her face in her hands, "He goes to my school, and, I, I have a crush on him, okay? A big disgusting crush and it won't go away and all he sees is the Ladybug in me. Just Tikki, just the Miraculous, just the perfect heroine image that the media has created. And he could've gotten hurt because Chat wasn't there, he probably would have if the akuma had been more under Hawkmoth's control . . . I know my Miraculous fixes everything but if I can barely hold my own, what's the point?" The girl sighed, "I don't need details, I don't really even know what I'm doing here, this is just . . . So stressful."

"So you thought you would come give the old man more gray hairs, eh?" There was light in his eyes as Marinette glanced up at him, "Ladybug, this is a hard job, I know. And I can't imagine what it must be like to see your friends in danger, but you have my word, you can trust Chat Noir. He had a good reason for not showing up to help you, and I'm sure he wishes to apologize to you. Remember that Chat has the same problems to deal with as you, and his kwami is . . ." Master Fu sent Tikki a look, "Less encouraging."

Tikki crossed her small arms, "Plagg is a pain in the butt." She stated.

Marinette smiled and Master Fu laughed once, bringing a hand around to his lower back, "And he really does talk about cheese all the time, your blogger friend's source is trustworthy." He said.

Marinette sighed, "He doesn't ever seem to take our heroics seriously."

"Maybe not," Fu admitted, "But you must understand how important the Miraculous is to him. You see it as your duty, and your job, but he sees it as his window to the world."

"But that doesn't give him the right to joke around so much or show up late to akumas. I'm not asking for a lot, I just wish I didn't have to panic when I hear about the akumas. I wish I could say to myself, 'Oh don't worry about being a minute late, Chat has your back.'Is that an unfair thing to ask for?"

"No Ladybug, it isn't. But Chat is just as inclined to failure as you are, the Miraculouses don't make you perfect." They both took a sip of tea in silence before he contiuned, "And as for your original question, I saw in him what I saw in you, selflessness, loyalty, bravery and compassion, and those are the most important qualities for a hero to have."

Marinette took a deep breath, he was right in a way, she could see all of those qualities clearly in Chat Noir. But that still didn't stop the betrayal she felt when she thought about him not showing up. It hurt, it hurt so much to have her partner fail her.

Tikki patted her knee, "Chat Noir is your twin and your opposite Marinette, that's how it's always been."

"Yin and Yang." Master Fu agreed, with a slight wince he brought the box beside him to his lap, "Now that you have expressed all of these concerns to me, I dislike doing this even more. But it is entirely necessary. Ladybug and Chat Noir have been handling so much for the past weeks, and I've been holding this back, hoping I could delay it but the time is coming and I'm afraid I've been selfish in my desire to keep my old friend."

Marinette didn't understand but Tikki flew to the man's side, "But Master, you've stayed with us for so long!"

Fu smiled, eyes crinkling around the edges, "And a wonderful time I have had with you all, but the cycle cannot be broken on my account." He looked at the girl, opening the box and taking a long breath, "The Fox Miraculous, Bee Miraculous, and my own Wayzz, I wish to place in your care." He set the box down in front of her, untying the turtle charm bracelet from his wrist and settling it in the red velvet.

The turtle kwami slept soundly by it's charm's side, blissfully unaware.

"But why?" Tikki squeaked, "The cycle continues when the Guardian passes on to another life, you're still here, we need you."

His face saddened, "I am of no help to the heroes in my age and we need all the help we can get to defeat Hawkmoth, I am willing. But--" Master Fu watched Marinette, who was still staring at the three Miraculouses at her knees, "You must be willing also Marinette. I will not force this role upon you."

"I want to help," She promised, "But I don't know if I can do this . . ."

And then he smiled at her, his eyes kind, "You can, you'll know the choice, when the moment is right. I have not a doubt in my mind."

***

After a heart felt goodbye between Master Fu and Wayzz, Marinette carried to box carefully back to the bakery, watching her step constantly, afraid of tripping and somehow destroying a Miraculous in the process.

She placed the box under her bed gently, looking a Wayzz one last time.

"Whoever you pick," He said tentatively, eyes on the turtle charm of the bracelet, "Will you tell them about my master?"

She couldn't help but smile, "I'll make sure they know about him, I promise."

"Thank you . . . " Wayzz replied earnestly, "It was nice to see you Tikki, I hope to see you again soon."

"You too Wayzz." She told him.

And with that, the kwami whirled into the turtle charm with a faint aqua glow.

***

Alya came over a few minutes later, enjoying dinner with her family before they headed upstairs to play video games and talk. Really, it had been too long since Marinette got to hang out with her best friend an it was nice to have some girl time for a change(Between Nino ,Chat and Adrien, she'd been going a little crazy).

But it wasn't til late in the night as Alya got comfy on Marinette's bed beside her that she finally spoke what was on her mind, "I need to confess something." The reporter said, looking at the ceiling and picking at her fluffy blanket.

The dark haired girl blinked, confused, "Okay, go ahead."

"He told me. Um, Adrien told me. That he had a crush on Ladybug and I um." Her friend swallowed hard, "I don't want you to be mad but I told him to go for it."

Crush. Mad. Ladybug. Adrien.

"Because he deserves a chance just like anyone else and urgh, I know this like the ultimate best friend betrayal and I'm so sorry if it hurts you, but you should know, I would do it again, because he's my friend and I want him to be happy, and I hope you understand that."

Chance. Betrayal. Friend. Happy.

Adrien had a crush on Ladybug. Adrien had a actual crush on Ladybug. For some reason, that hurt more than any akuma could.

Marinette finally caught her breath, "I'm not mad at you, I understand."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. You did what you thought was right."

The redhead let out a huge breath, "Oh thank god, girl, this secret has been eating away at me and I was terrified that you'd be mad."

"It takes more than some boy trouble to get between us Alya, but thanks for telling me."

She shifted slightly closer, sighing in relief, "Night Marinette."

"Goodnight."

***

***

Adrien felt like he was gonna puke.

It was an off night the day Ladybug saved his stupid ass, so no patrol, and he didn't know whether he was mostly relieved, or angered, or disappointed in that fact.

She wouldn't know. He would look her in the eyes tomorrow and she wouldn't know. Again, he didn't know if that was good or bad. He wanted to talk to her, to explain his actions, but the cowardly part of him was glad she wouldn't look at him any differently.

He really was a coward, acting that way when Ladybug didn't know he was Chat.

"Kid, stop being so hard on yourself." Plagg mumbled, obviously done with his pouting.

Adrien had been trying to do his homework for tomorrow when the reality of the whole situation hit him over again. He had dropped his forehead to his desk, banging it repeatedly, "Stupid, stupid, stupid." And Plagg had whizzed into the room, looking surprisingly concerned.

"God, I can't believe that actually happened." The boy moaned, ignoring the black cat kwami.

"You look like a wreck kid."

Adrien propped up his head to look at him, "Well obviously! What do you expect me to look like?"

Plagg made a face, "I don't know why you're so mad at yourself, it was her fault."

"You can't actually believe that."

"Maybe it was a little your fault," He admitted, shrugging, "But it's not good to bottle up your emotions like that."

"What? What!? Plagg are you crazy?"

He crossed his arms with a huff, "I'm just saying! I've seen enough stupidly lovesick Chat Noirs in my day to know when dumb stuff is about to happen!"

"But it has happened!" Adrien exclaimed, "I can't-I don't . . ." The boy let his head fall back on the desk, bringing up his arms to block himself in, "I can't lose her."

There was silence for a moment, before Plagg settled a small black paw on Adrien's shoulder, "Kid, you can handle this. Ladybug is your partner and your friend, she's not gonna ditch you. And if she does, she's not worth getting all distraught over it."

Adrien looked over at his kwami, stuck by his thoughtfulness, "Thanks Plagg . . . You must be getting hungry, let's go find you some Camembert, okay?"

The kwami grinned, "Gees, I thought you'd never ask."

***

Everyone at school the next day practically attacked him. Which he really should have been used to.

"Adrikins!" Chloe said.

"Dude!" Nino said.

"Agreste!" Alya said.

"Ack!" Adrien said.

He explained to his classmates over and over that yes he was okay, no he wasn't hurt, and that he didn't mean for everyone to worry. Plagg snorted a few times through his jacket at Chloe's possessive remarks but Adrien squished him to his chest, silently telling the kwami cat to kindly shut up.

Between the whole class, some of his teachers, and even the Gorilla offering him a few words, Adrien received silence from the last place he expected it to be.

Marinette. She didn't say a word to him in class, didn't look his way at the lunch table and completely ignored him on the steps at the end of school.

Which made him sad for a reason he couldn't put his finger on, Marinette always worried over Alya and Nino when they were involved in akuma situations . . . Could she possibly still hold that gum ordeal against him?

No, he wouldn't think that way, Marinette had accepted his apology and she wasn't the type to keep a grudge. And he had too many things to worry about tonight anyway.

Nino came over briefly after school, looking at him in a way that made Adrien feel like he was completely transparent to his friend's eyes. But Nino didn't say anything, he didn't ask questions. They just played video games and had some snacks before his mom called, telling him to come home.

Adrien was forever grateful for Nino's interaction with him, it was one of the reasons they had become such good friends, because he treated him like a normal person, free to make his choices on what to tell him and what not to, but also with concern and the promise that he would listen.

Adrien wanted to tell him about being Chat Noir, he felt so lost and confused and Alya was handling her own problems and he just . . . He could handle it, he could. And if he couldn't, he had no doubt that Nino would be there for him.

***

Sitting on the Tower, dangling his legs absently, the thought suddenly occurred to him that she might not even show. She was mad at Chat too, after all, and patrol wasn't nearly as important to her as it was to him.

His thoughts floundered for a minute, in disbelief that she would actually do that to him, before a strong female voice spoke from a few yards over his shoulder.

"You bastard." Ladybug accused in a growl, glaring at him, hands on her hips.

He hopped up and took a step towards her, "My Lady, I--"

She abruptly stepped back, frowning.

Chat took a breath, " . . . I couldn't get away to transform."

Cold Ladybug was even more scary than Furious Ladybug, "Screw that Chat, we always get away. Y-You could've found me, apologized at least."

"I wanted to." He said, hating the lie. After the kiss by his window, he didn't want to have anything to do with her.

"This is important, don't you get that? This isn't a game, Adrien could've gotten hurt and it would have been our fault. But at least I was there to try."

"Lady, you're not being fair."

"Oh really? I'm not? Thank god Adrien had the wits and the agility or I would be a puddle right down there." She said sharply, angrily pointing below them to the streets of the city, "What's not fair is I don't know if I can trust my own partner and I have to lie awake at night and wonder which Miraculous would best suit Adrien!"

He did a double take, "What?"

"You heard me! I have four total Miraculouses now, and now I just have to pick which one to give him!"

Chat Noir was suddenly getting the worst migraine in history.

"Because he did amazing yesterday and it would be nice to have someone I can rely on!"

"Why do you like him so much? What did he ever do?" Chat wondered, desperate for answers.

Ladybug scrunched up her nose, "Don't play jealous with me, this isn't a game."

"I'm not playing!" He shouted. He never was playing! "Why do you like him so much?"

"For one, he's considerate, which is more than I can say for you."

"Well maybe you don't know him like you think you do! You've met him twice!"

"He's in my class Chat!" She said loudly, before promptly covering her mouth with her hand.

He was in her class. Adrien was in Ladybug's class. He knew her. He knew her.

It's me My Lady, I'm standing right here, you can't give me two Miraculouses silly, I already have one.

"My Lady I-"

"Don't." She snapped then softer, "Please don't. Just, take the east side and I'll take the west, okay? We'll talk later."

She didn't wait for his answer, she just swung away to start her sweep of the city, leaving Chat more confused than he was before she came.

***

***

She had decided it, no matter what Chat said, she trusted Adrien with a Miraculous.

Nino had helped her pick the Turtle for his friend and asked no questions when she said she was going to give it to him in costume.

Marinette didn't want to look at Adrien as Ladybug anytime soon, it just hurt too much, but this had to be done. It was time for a new hero.

After school the next day she transformed and swung to his window, knocking hesitantly on the glass.

The blond boy came out of the bathroom a second later wearing a t-shirt and jeans, his hair dropping down in his eyes, wet from a shower. The same eyes that grew gigantic when he saw her.

He made his way to the window and opened it, staring at her like she was from space, "Hey?"

"Hey. Um. I wanted to give you this." Ladybug held out the small box and Adrien seemed to recognize what it was immediately.

"Nino Lafitte."

"Uh, what?"

"That's a Miraculous," Adrien said simply, pointing to the box, "Give it to Nino, not me."

"Don't-don't you want it?" Marinette asked in disbelief.

"I wouldn't mind it, but you need a hero, and that's . . . That's not what I am to you." Green eyes were gazing at the floor, so much hurt in them that Ladybug suddenly wanted to beat herself up.

"I know you can do this, you did great on Sunday." She promised. This was not at all going the way she thought it would.

"I already have school and modeling to keep up with, really Ladybug, I appreciate you thinking of me, but I can't."

Ladybug knew what it was like for her when she first got Tikki, and she suspected that if she could give Adrien that encouraging shove, the one Chat gave her, this could all work out, "You saved my life on the Tower, you're quick on your feet and you're kind, you deserve to be a hero. You're already my hero." She hadn't meant to say it out loud but it really was true. He remained so good throughout all of the terrible things in his life, he had a heart of gold.

He smiled sadly, "I wish I could be that for you, but I can't, and I'm sorry, and I hope you understand." Adrien reached over and closed her fingers around the box, "Nino Lahiffe, he deserves this. And Alya, our Ladyblogger, or Marinette Dupain-Cheng, for that matter since you have more than one. Consider them, please."

Ladybug watched the sadness wash over and over in his face and she finally couldn't stand to see him hurt anymore, "Okay." She took a few steps back, "Nino and Alya and Marinette."

"Nino and Alya and Marinette." He repeated, giving another sad smile, "Thank you."

***

Marinette was considering his words still that night, out on her balcony with some green tea.

She knew her friends would be great heroes, Alya and Nino she trusted specifically, but she was having a hard time figuring out which kwami to give them.

Plagg, from all the Ladyblog stories, was a little piece of work and only over talked about cheese. But that was okay, because Chat had enough confidence to move forward in his hero life without special attention.

Marinette had needed Tikki's understanding desperately when she was given her Miraculous, and she suspected that if she had a kwami like Plagg, things would have turned out differently.

Lost in her considerations, she didn't even notice the dark figure making his way to her until he was right behind her.

"Princess?" He inquired softly, causing her to whip around.

Her heart jumped to her throat when she met his green eyes. Usually, they were filled with charisma and mischief but now all she could see was pain.

There was something so strange about seeing him sad that it rocked Marinette to the core.

"C-Chat Noir?" She stammered.

He brought his hand to his neck, a gesture that was so very familiar, "Hi. Sorry to bother you."

She leaned against the railing, relaxing slightly, "No. No, that's okay, I was just thinking . . . What's on your mind?"

The hero leaning against the railing with her, a few feet away, eyes on the skyline and sighing, "Ladybug is really mad at me. I'm not sure how to fix it."

"About Adrien?"

"Kinda." He slumped down, resting crossed arms on the gate and then his chin, "She wants to give him a Miraculous but he doesn't want it."

At his true words, the question just slipped out, "How do you know?"

Chat hummed, "We're pretty close in civilian form," Then a snort, "Very close actually. And I know he has other things on his mind right now but Ladybug . . . She's really stubborn."

Marinette definitely would admit to that.

"And she thinks I'm jealous, which is honestly pretty true, but I'm not trying to screw up Adrien in any way, I just know that he can't handle it."

"People can surprise you." She said gently.

"Trust me, I know. But we both see better choices, Alya, Nino, they would be great heroes--"

"Wait, I knew you knew Alya, but how do you know Nino?"

He blinked, "Adrien's best friend, I've met him a few times."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Chat sighed, gaze on the sky, "And Ladybug is my partner, and I really care about her, so it just really hurts to consider that she thinks I'm only trying to . . . I don't know, be with her in a special way. Which I do, I really like her a lot, but it just . . . It just seems to be a pass time for her while I want it to be real." His voice was hushed, careful and slightly nervous, and for some reason Marinette's heart was absolutely pounding.

The blond finally looked over at her again, one ear flicking, his nervous tick, "Is any of this making sense to you?"

Marinette took a deep breath and nodded, "It sounds to me like Ladybug doesn't actually know you're serious." She responded, trying to keep her voice even.

"I thought I made it obvious."

"Maybe it was so obvious that it wasn't obvious anymore."

He laughed a little, "What?"

Marinette tried to shrug it off, "I mean, maybe she thinks you flirt with everyone else like you flirt with her. You did flirt with me, after all."

He squinted, "Did I?"

"Oh my gosh, yes! You stood at my door and showed off your muscles for like an hour!" Marinette couldn't help but laugh a little at the memory.

Chat laughed too but he was flushed, "Sorry, I guess I just saw the pigtails and my brain just." He waved a clawed hand by his head, indicating losing his mind, "They're cute on you by the way." He commented, his face red but his voice even and earnest.

"Thanks." She replied, a little self consciously, but smiling just the same, "Um, hey, can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"If Ladybug messes up, if she gives the Miraculouses to the wrong people, you're not gonna be mad at her, are you?"

He snorted, "Honestly, she's pretty hard to get mad at so probably not, besides, I have absolute faith in her."

"You are fricking sap." Marinette informed him, holding back her giggle of internal relief.

Chat ran a hand in his hair, shrugging with a smile, "Guilty as charged. Anyway, gees, I'm being super rude, have anything you wanna get off your chest Princess?"

She laughed and crossed her arms, "I've got it figured out now, this has been a fulfilling conversation."

"Well that makes me feel just a little better," The boy mused, leaning slightly closer to her, a grin growing on his face, "But are you sure you don't have any problems I can help you with? Big secrets? Drama? Boy trouble? You need me to get something off a high shelf for you?"

They both started to laugh but she shoved him away, "You're so mean!" She announced happily, "What did I ever do to you?"

The hero just cackled, holding his stomach, "The look on your face!"

"Urgh, get off my balcony before I call the police." Marinette complained, giving him another good natured shove.

"As you wish Princess." He beamed and bowed in his usual princely manner, then leaned forward, "And thanks." Chat gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before hopping up on the nearest roof and waving a goodbye.

Even if it felt a little silly, Marinette waved back and he just grinned, bounding to the next roof and starting to jog.

Tikki came out of hiding a moment later, giving her an amused but knowing look, "You've got a big day tomorrow, you should probably sleep."

"I will." Marinette said honestly, "Just a few more minutes."

The kwami gave her a smile, flying down into the room, "Good night Marinette."

The heroine stood there for a little while longer, admiring the skyline and the blooming feeling in her chest, still high on Chat's undying trust in her, no matter her short words with him the day before.

She would give out the right kwamis, she was sure now, and Marinette had no doubt that Chat would be there to help her along the way.

***

***

The day Alya got magical powers started out as the strangest in her whole life.

Number one, Adrien kept staring at Marinette. Which, like, yeah, wasn't that uncommon. Honestly, if he hadn't confessed his undying love for Ladybug to her, she would have suspected her model friend had the hots for her designer friend. Still, this was like the definition of ogling.

Number two though, number two is what got Alya, because Marinette didn't even seem to notice Adrien. She didn't say anything when he wore a different jacket than usual. She paid attention in class and Alya didn't see her friend glance down at the blond in front of her. Not even once! Despite that, the craziest of all this stuff was that Marinette didn't bat a single fucking eye when Adrien complimented her sketches at lunch.

Then Alya completely lost her shit, dragging her BFF up and into the girl's bathroom, "Tea. Spill it."

"Huh?" Marinette, ever clueless, god.

"I want the tea now." Alya told her confidently, crossing her arms, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Come again?"

Alya waved her hand impatiently, "'Wow, that's a cute skirt Marinette', 'Wow, you're so sweet Marinette', 'Wow, you're sketches are honestly heaven on earth Marinette'??"

Then the girl blushed, "Oh that."

"Yeah that. Two months ago I would've had to mold your melted body back together!"

"Well nothing really happened." Marinette said, not convincing a single fricking human on the planet earth.

"Oh no! No-no-no-no. I claim best friends rights. You have to tell me."

The girl looked unimpressed, moving a strand of hair out of her eyes, "Look, nothing happened. I just kind of, maybe . . . " She bit her lip and scrunched up her shoulders, "I might have a crush on someone else?"

Alya didn't even know what was going on today. She was pretty sure she was still dreaming, or in some kind of psycho analysis virtual reality because this was sooooo fake.

"Alya? You hurting my arm."

The reporter let go of the girl's limb, bringing to her hand to her forehead, "You what."

Marinette let out a extremely nervous laugh, "I'm not sure yet, he just said some things that made me think."

"Mari. Girl. Who is it."

"You're gonna get so pissed." Marinette muttered, hesitating then jumping in with just about the craziest three words of the whole day, "It's Chat Noir."

Needless to say, there was a lot of screaming coming from the girl's bathroom for the next twenty minutes and it took every single piece of self control that Alya had in her soul not to shout, "They're the same fucking dude!"

But honestly, this was gonna get interesting real fast.

***

"You better explain your goddamn actions Agreste, because I will beat the shit out of you." Alya didn't even wait until she got home to call him, practically sprinting to her mom's car and dialing.

"Honey, language."

Alya held up her hand, pressing the phone closer to her ear. This was sooooo not the time for reprimanding.

"Which actions am I explaining?" Adrien wondered.

"The fact that you tell me you love Ladybug and you keep me up until four in the morning talking about her and then you turn around and chase Marinette like a puppy!"

"I don't think I'm following." The boy replied.

"Do you have a crush on Marinette?" Alya demanded, good lord above knew Adrien needed it spelled out before him.

"What? No, she's a friend. But she's really sweet and talented and brave."

Alya rubbed her temples, taking a big huff, "But do you have a crush on Ladybug?"

"Obviously. Who wouldn't? She's sweet and talented and . . . " There was three seconds of dead silence over the line before Alya heard golden boy utter the only curse she had ever-or would ever-hear him say, "Holy shit." He breathed.

"Yeah. Do you see the problem now?"

"Oh god, Alya. What? What am I suppose to do? Crap, crap, crap! Alya!"

"It's alright, we can work with this okay? But we need to talk." The last part just blurted out of her mouth before she could stop it, "Because Marinette has a crush on Chat Noir."

Approximately two seconds later, Alya was made permanently deaf in one ear.

"She what?!"

***

Marinette had a crush on Adrien in both forms. Honestly it made sense, but at the same time, what the hell? She pines over the blondie for a year and a half and one day just wakes up and decides she likes them both?? What? What?!

And yet, this could work, he kind of like her too, and with a good solid plan, Alya was positive she could get them together.

But first, she needed some back up.

Alya dug her phone out of her bag, finding some weird box in there, honestly her bag was an abyss, and then holding her phone up to ear.

Frowning on second glance, Alya popped open the lid of the box as she got the dial tone, trying to figure out where she had seen that pendant before---

"Hello? Nino answered, his voice groggy, "I swear you call at the worst times on purpose."

"This is serious shit Lahiffe." She smarted, "Adrienette is gonna take the plunge and freaking Chat Noir--"

The necklace glowed a bright orange suddenly, popping up a little creature that Alya at first thought was Plagg.

"Who the hell are you?" She asked.

"This is Nino, you absolute idiot--"

"I'm Trixx." The orange creature stated proudly, placing a hand on his small hip, "And I'm your kwami."

"What the fuck?!" Alya screeched.

"Alya--"

"Nino, I gotta call you back!"


	3. Exhibit C

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and comments! You guys are so sweet and encouraging, it's the best.
> 
> Here's the last chapter, hope you enjoy!

Alya didn't call him back. And Nino might as well admit, he was worried. She acted crazy at school, freaking ran for her mom's car and looked like her eyes were gonna fall out of their sockets. So about three minutes later, when his patience wore off completely, he called Marinette. Nino figured if anyone would know what was wrong, it was her.

"Hey? I think Alya might be in danger."

He heard her swallow, "What do you mean?" The girl asked, nervous and quick.

"She started screaming about Chat Noir, asked me who I was and then hung up. What was that all about?"

"Um, she's probably just confused, she's had a lot of surprises today. But I'll check on her anyway, meet me at my house in twenty, okay?"

"Uh, alrighty." 

Driving his bike their, Nino tried to call Alya back a few times on the fifteen minute drive, which only settled his panic in more because Alya *always* answered her phone. Hell, she was updating her Ladyblog when a akuma was kidnapping her. 

Dusk was nearing as Nino tied up his bike to the rack outside and dashed into the bakery with a quick, "Hi Mari's parents, is she upstairs?"

Sabine blinked at him, in the middle of frosting a cake but clearly seeing how much the boy was starting to freak out, "She hasn't come down."

"Thanks, I uh, I gotta go talk to her." Nino hastily hopped up the stairs and into the girl's room, "Marinette?"

Seconds later, Ladybug jumped down into the room and clamped her hand over his mouth, "Shhhh! Alya doesn't know and you can't tell her."

"Humpf." Nino said, nodding. 

"Rena? Come on down here." 

Nino's nerves were already on end. This was definitely not the time to be dropping in Volpina and scaring the shit out of him. And yet there she was, standing in Marinette's room, orange costume and all.

"Hey! You're the one that dangled my best bro off the Tower!" Nino cried.

"What?" The fox hero asked, squinting, "When did I--Oh yeah. Nino, it's not her, it's me." 

Nino took a shuffle of a step back, "Care to explain Buggie?"

"Buggie?" The 'not-Volpina' asked, looking at Marinette in costume, "That's cute, I'm gonna use that."

Ladybug rubbed her forehead, "Okay guys. Just listen for a minute." 

The two went quiet, though Nino was still glaring at the other costumed girl.

"Just recently I was given new Miraculouses to give to new heroes. You two were my choices. And I have to tell you that hero life is complicated and rough and you don't get a break very often, but it's the right thing to do. If you don't want this, you have the full right to give it back, but you're sworn to keep this all a secret as of this moment." 

"Wait, wait, wait. You're giving me a Miraculous?" Nino questioned in disbelief, looking at his friend. 

She nodded softly, "You and Alya." 

"Wait." He said again, before turning to examine the other heroine, "Alya?"

"Some disguise this is." The fox girl pouted then tossed a her hair over her shoulder, "Of course it's me, Trixx popped up when I was on the phone with you."

There was a silence as Nino remembered her shrieking, "Well that explains a lot." 

"I was planning on visiting you both, to make sure you didn't faint or anything crazy, but Nino got worried so I decided to do this at the same time."

"Hold up. All this time, you knew Ladybug personally?" Alya asked, giving Nino a glare that he squirmed under.

"Not all this time. I just talked to her about two weeks ago and now I'm *apparently* about to be a hero or something?" 

Ladybug sighed, "Hey Alya, do you think you could give us a minute?"

"Yeah, sure." Alya looked at them for a second before hopping back up to the balcony and shutting the little door.

Ladybug picked a small box off her nightstand, offering it to him, "I wanted to give this to you personally, since you knew it was me, but Alya was freaking out and so . . . Yeah."

Nino held the Miraculous in his hands gently, "Mari, you didn't have to do this."

"Oh really?" She said, smiling and crossing her arms, "I tried to give it to Adrien remember? He wouldn't take it, he said it was yours."

Nino's insides suddenly felt mushy, "Yeah?"

"Yeah. And Chat Noir suggested you too."

"I know Chat Noir?"

She shrugged, "He knows you."

"This identity stuff hurts my brain dude."

She laughed, "Tell me about it."

Nino continued to eye the box, sighing, "I don't know if I can do this."

She brought a hand to his shoulder, giving a smile, "I know you can. We know you can." She took a few steps towards the balcony door and left him to meet his new magical partner, "We'll be waiting for you Carapace."

***

About fifteen minutes later, the three costumed teens were talking on Marinette's roof as the sun set over the Paris skyline. 

Nino felt kind of scared of what this choice meant, but the excitement and anticipation was even more overwhelming. And now he could ran around the city dressed like a turtle with two of his best friends and no one would even question taking them seriously. That alone was enough to make him laugh.

"I forgot to ask you, where's Marinette?" Rena Rogue asked. 

There was a silence, "Probably down helping her parents." Ladybug fibbed, "She said I could use her balcony as an outpost anytime."

"How do all my friends know Ladybug?" She wailed dramatically, then started to laugh.

Nino and Marinette glanced at each other but quickly joined in. It was kind of funny after all.

As the sky was turning an inky purple, Ladybug pulled herself up from her spot lying down on the tiles, and just *smirked* at the two newcomers, "Ready for your first patrol?"

Alya whooped, "Oh yeah baby! Here we go!"

Soon the three were bounding, leaping, and swinging towards the meeting place, letting out hoots and hollers and laughter as they went. Needless to say, Chat Noir seemed equally shocked and excited to see two new faces on the Tower, "Uh, what's up?" He greeted, giving them a grin.

Ladybug tackled him in a hug, which Chat barely accounted for before they tripped, and whispered something to him that sounded like an apology.

Chat smiled, even if he looked like a tomato, "I trust you too My Lady." He responded gently. 

Alya cleared her throat pointedly, hand on her hip, and both veterans yanked away from each other, even more red, which caused Nino to burst out laughing. 

This was gonna be absolutely ridiculous, seriously. 

"Alya," Chat said, pointing at her.

Rena Rogue gave a sarcastic salute.

"And Nino."

"Yup."

Chat beamed at Ladybug, "Good choices." She blushed again, "Though I could've done without Alya."

"You jerk!" Rena announced, making Chat laugh first and then the other three.

Oh yeah, this was gonna be ridiculous alright. But for some reason, that didn't bother Nino at all. 

***

***

The next week was a little crazy. 

There was absolutely no end to Ladybug's encouragement for him, telling him about Wayzz's former holder. She introduced him to Master Fu after school one day, calling Nino Carapace the new Guardian. And he had no idea what that meant but it sounded pretty cool. Nino felt like the karate kid talking to Master Fu, and was half expecting him to start telling him to wax his car for training. But he didn't, he just offered them advice and tea and salty crackers, which Wayzz loved. 

Wayzz was the best kwami Nino could've asked for. He was polite and kind, and something like Tikki in his belief in Carapace. He slept a lot, but that was okay because Nino would hate to think Wayzz was bored throughout school, just sitting in his backpack.

Soon Nino was the one in charge of taking care of the Bee Miraculous until the team found a suitable holder. Which he found considerably easier than actually being a hero, surprisingly enough.

Alya sent him a bunch of conspirator winks in class, which didn't help him focus, like, *at all*. And she did the same as Rena Rouge, taking silly selfies with Ladybug, making inside jokes with him, and insisting the she and Chat needed a handshake and spending a whole patrol on night making one up with him.

Honestly, she was so much more of a natural at this hero thing than him that it was almost laughable. 

Ladybug soon took the role of team leader, and Chat started calling her momma-bug. (Or, that was until she looked him dead in the eye once and said, "Daddy." Alya was laughing for the rest of the night and Chat looked like he had misplaced his esophagus with all the coughing) Marinette was a perfect Ladybug in every way, pushing him but also knowing when to back off, and he couldn't be happier to be on her team. 

Chat Noir though, was a little harder to get used to. He was kind of a show off, and jumped in front of the three other heroes anytime their was a problem, always taking the hit for them, which none of them really appreciated. He flipped around and did showy moves with his baton, he winked at the girls and flirted relentlessly with Ladybug(She said he flirted with her sometimes but this was a bit out of control). 

It got to the point where Nino asked Marinette out of costume if it bothered her, and if she wanted him to tell Chat to back off. But Marinette just laughed, turning a slight pink.

"Trust me Nino, it's okay. That's just how chaton shows his friendship. He may not seem that way, but he's a true gentleman under all those silly comments. And if I wanted him to stop, I would let him know."

'Oh.' He had thought, 'That's good then . . .Wait, you don't want him to stop flirting with you?' But he didn't say anything more, he just nodded. And suddenly, he could see it, the brightness in her smirk when Chat kissed the top of her hand. The linger of her gaze on him when he grinned. It just made sense, it did. 

Nino was comfortable enough with his own masculinity to admit that Chat was seriously good looking, so it didn't really surprise him when Marinette seemed to develop a crush on another friendly, handsome blond. She had a type, that was for sure.

"But what about Adrien?" Nino had asked her once.

His heroic mom friend blushed, "It's complicated." 

So again, Nino just nodded. Because, gees, did this hero stuff make his hormones weird or what?

Like this one time, he watched Alya transform and he had this feeling that his soul was floating out of his body. Which was not cool because he needed to be thinking about hero things and not about how pretty she looked with a tail. 

"You coming, slow-poke?" She chirped, giving him a grin with a hand on her hip. 

*No*, Nino kind of wanted to say, *I think I'll stay here and question my own existence.* But of course, Chat and Marinette needed them and there was no time for staring.

Chat and Alya seemed to click instantly, and Nino knew the reporter had alright met him multiple times, but this? This was raising some questions. 

Sure, Nino and Ladybug, they were pretty close too, they made plans and kept the team on track, always prepared for any situation. 

But the other two heroes were always perfectly in sync, laughing at the same jokes, making the same faces in pictures and doing their crazily long handshake after akuma battles. Eventually, it got to be too much for one little turtle dude to take.

Finally, Nino couldn't stand it anymore, calling Alya out at the lockers between classes, "Are you dating Chat Noir?"

She raised her eyebrows at him, "Seriously?" 

Nino wasn't backing down until he got answers. So yes, seriously.

"Wow." Alya said, shutting her locker and looking at him fully, "You're an idiot." 

"That doesn't answer my question." 

"How about you answer one of mine, are you dating Ladybug?" 

Just the idea caused him to sputter, "Wha-What, no. No way, nope." 

Alya didn't seem at all satisfied with that answer, "You're lying." 

"I'm not lying!" Which, obviously, made he sound even more like he was lying.

The redhead threw up her hands, "This is ridiculous. Just tell me you're dating her and I'll stop flirting with you." 

"You're not flirting with me!" 

"I am so!" They were all alone in the hall now as the bell for class rang and her words echoed off everything.

"Well-Well-I didn't know!" 

"How could you not know?" She was clearly frustrated, fists by her sides. 

"Because you flirt with Chat Noir, all the time!" 

"I don't flirt with Chat Noir, it's Adrien for god's sake!" Alya shouted then closed her eyes and took a breath, "Shit, I said that out loud, didn't I?"

Adrien getting lost during akuma attacks. Adrien and Chat loving Ladybug. Adrien and Chat never being in the same place at once.

"Yeah." Nino managed. Because it made so much sense now that he heard it. 

Except . . . Ladybug being more easily flustered around Chat . . . And Adrien's stolen glances at Marinette-oh god. 

He squeezed Alya by the shoulders, "Oh my god, Alya. Dude. They're in love in every way."

"I told you, I'm not dating Chat, nor am I in--"

"Not you. Marinette." 

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"Because," There wasn't a hesitation in him as he grinned, "Marinette is Ladybug."

***

***

Between Alya and Nino, Marinette was having a lot more rest lately. Sure, she still had to be there to purify each akuma, but she didn't have the stress of needing to meet the villain immediately because Rena and Carapace were getting pretty good at fighting, thanks to Chat's extra help. 

He had offered one night to take over, seeing how tired she was, "You want to go home My Lady? I can take it from here." 

And she was suddenly full of so much appreciation for her partner that she kissed him on the cheek, touching the other with her gloved fingers, "Thanks chaton. I owe you."

He was a deep red but he waved his hand in dismissal and gave her an awkward smile, like he was holding himself back from beaming, "It's my pleasure. Good night." 

Marinette flopped back on her bed and smiled, before quickly falling asleep. 

Her partner, her messy, sweet, undeniably loyal partner, stuck in her mind all day at school, so much so that Alya glanced at Marinette's sketchbook and mumbled nothing more than, "Girl, you got it bad."

Yeah, honestly, she really did. Because all she could think about was Adrien telling her that she had more than one Miraculous. It had been a small thing to say in the moment, but it had surfaced in her mind after the night Chat visited her balcony. 'Since you have more than one.'

How did he know? The only person Ladybug had told about the Miraculouses was Chat, and he said that he and Adrien were close in civilian form, but Chat wasn't the type to give secrets away, even to his friends. 

And that left only one option.

An option that made Marinette giddy and ridiculously excited beyond belief. 'My best friend, it's okay to fall in love with my best friend.' But it didn't make her feel any less crazy or out of control. 

At lunch, Adrien had somehow adopted the seat next to her, (which Alya gave up without a fight and sat across from the girl) and talked to her and smiled like friends do. His hand brushed against hers sometimes, in the chattering and eating(she was right handed and he was left handed and Marinette was sure fate was just trying to screw with her) but despite the constant casualness between them, they still both blushed at the contact.

Alya had grabbed Nino's hand at lunch that day, "Guys, if you want to hold hands, you do it like this." She said smartly, intertwining their fingers on the table. 

Nino pulled her hand up and kissed her knuckles, then placed their tethered hands back on the lunch table like it was a totally normal thing to do. 

Alya didn't stop staring for the rest of the lunch hour, completely speechless for once at Nino's action. Marinette needed to ask her about it later, but now, she was busy dealing with a more terrifying situation. 

"Nice sketches Marinette." Adrien commented softly, a few minutes later. 

The girl felt a split second of confusion before she slammed her arms over her sketchbook, covering the page of Chat Noir doodles that had somehow appeared there, "Ha-ha! What!" She let out nervously, feeling her face grow hot.

Adrien smiled at her, like she was being silly, "They're nice, can I see?"

Marinette was panicking but she couldn't come up with any good reason why not, "Um. Yeah." She pulled her arms away and moved the sketchbook slightly closer to him. 

Adrien didn't touch the paper or turn the page which she was grateful for(She was somewhat possessive when it came to her sketches and it made her squirm to have someone go through them), but he did stare at the one of Chat beaming happily for a long time, "You captured his smile perfectly."

"Thanks." She managed. 

"His legs look so weird in the suit." Adrien noted, with a small laugh and a glance over at her.

"You get used to it. I mean-I've seen them a lot! I mean! I used a bunch of reference pictures! Wait-No-I don't stare at pictures of Chat Noir, I mean--" 

Adrien raised his eyebrows, blushing slightly. Why was he blushing? What sense did that make?

Marinette groaned, dropping her head down to the table, "I mean, yes his legs look weird, his calves aren't proportional." 

Adrien laughed then, "Really? I never noticed."

"Artist's eye." Marinette mumbled, trying to get the red out of her face, "It's a blessing and a curse." 

"That's something you should put on your Ladyblog Alya," The boy said teasingly, "Chat's legs aren't proportional. This is big news." 

Alya hummed distractedly, still staring at her and Nino's hands. 

Adrien laughed again, sliding the book of drawings back towards Marinette with a wink, "I like them." 

Marinette felt like she was going to die, "Thanks." This was ridiculous. Marinette was still blushing like a helpless fangirl when he complimented her, even after this whole business with Chat Noir. 

She told herself this wasn't good, what if she was wrong? What if she let these feelings grow for two different people?

But the way Adrien looked at her was all too familiar, and when she dropped one of her books in the hall between classes, Marinette knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, she was screwed. 

"You dropped this Princess."

Yup, it was official. 

Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir. And she was in love with both of them.

***

***

Adrien Agreste couldn't decide whether this was heaven or hell. 

On the one hand, Ladybug seemed to not be mad anymore, which was great, he wouldn't have it any differently, but it was making him suspect stuff.

'He's in my class!' The words has rolled over a million times in his head in the past few days. He knew her. He knew Ladybug in real life. It seemed like a crazy dream. A crazy, beautiful, blue-eyed dream.

And of course, Chat wanted to know her. He wanted to know her more than anything. 

But he was terrified. 

Terrified that she would hate him for knowing, terrified that she would turn him away. It was so important that they do this together. No, not important, it was everything.

Everything was Ladybug. Except, somehow, his loyalties had shifted. Not changed, not taken away. He still trusted her with his whole life, but there was more.

More trust, more admiration, directed at another kind, blue-eyed girl named Marinette Dupain-Cheng. 

She had sparked something in him, something that made him feel like he was slowly crumbling to ashes.

His love for Ladybug was strong, brave, selfless and forever loyal, but this thing with Marinette, this was just crazy. It hit him like a sudden punch in the gut, it blew the wind out of him when she looked his way, it made his hands shake and his insides turn gooey but there was something so familiar about it, and Adrien just couldn't seem to get either love out of his head.

Soon, the feelings melted into one big mound of gross sappiness that Chat couldn't get out of him. 

Ladybug was in his class. Marinette was in his class. 

He hoped he was right. Oh god, he *hoped*. And if he wasn't right, well then Chat was completely screwed. 

Patrol was crazy, and Chat loved hanging out with his friends, but it was so much different than just him and Ladybug. 

Alya-or Rena, he told himself-would make silly vlogs almost the entire time, getting him to video her as she tried stupid stuff with her flute as Nino and Lady groaned in the background. Selfies were a must for ever patrol according to Alya("It'll help us bond as a team," She had said, "Come out of our shells." Which caused Nino to pout as Chat high-fived her for the pun.) and the two newbies soon were helping the original heroes with akumas all the time. 

But yeah, *super* different from the old patrol. Sure, Chat kept up his usual banter with Ladybug but it was considerably less private, ahem, Alya. 

There had been this whole scenario where Lady had flicked his bell with a smirk and some remark and Chat mentioned something about always ringing his bell before he had the sense to stop himself. Which obviously caused Alya to burst into obnoxious laughter and literally start yelling, "Ladybug and Chat Noir, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S--"

"I am so sorry." Nino said, pulling his cackling friend away, "Go back to be disgusting, I'll hold her down."

Rena fought him off, "Ha! Yeah right! Where's my phone?? I gotta take a picture of their faces."

All in all, Chat was so undeniably screwed up if Marinette wasn't Ladybug that it wasn't even funny anymore.

"Plaaagg." He groaned, rolling over in bed that night, unable to get sweet smiles and pigtails out of head, "Help me."

"Ew, no." 

"You're no help at all."

"And I pride myself in that."

"Urghhh."

Plagg grumbled some before finally hovering over Adrien's face, crossing his arms and looking down at him with an unimpressed glare, "You're not gonna shut up about her, are you?"

"Can't you see I'm trying?" Adrien moaned, rubbing his stinging eyes, god, he had school in the morning, he shouldn't be doing this.

The black cat kwami huffed, "Fine, I'm gonna tell you a story. A long time ago, there was a princess Ladybug."

"That sounds about right. Was she pretty?"

"No, shut up, I'm talking. And there was a knight, a Chat Noir like you, one of the king's most trusted, and he was really, really stupid."

"Again, very believable." Adrien mumbled.

"You keep talking over me and I'm gonna use your shoes for cheese storage." 

The blond scrunched up his nose but stayed quiet.

"And so that Chat Noir was stupidly in love with Ladybug. And she liked him too, freaking flirted with him all the time, it was disgusting. But like I said, Chat was *the ultimate idiot.* So the king married his daughter away to another prince, far away. So they never got to see each other ever again." 

Adrien gasped, completely appalled, "So you're saying I'm gonna be alone forever??"

"Well obviously, if you don't go after her. Don't be like him and get your princess married off to some rich guy with an ugly mustache. Don't be a coward and-" Plagg poked him hard in the forehead with every word, "don't-be-stupid." 

He sat up, holding his head, "You're right, oh my god Plagg, you're right." He tossed the covers off his bed, "Plagg!"

"Yeah, I know, what a shocker." He replied sarcastically, "Now go back to bed." 

Adrien stood by his bed, in his silk pajamas with hair sticking everywhere, "What?"

"I said go back to bed, it's almost two."

Adrien didn't move.

"What're you gonna do? Jump into her room and shake her awake, dressed as a cat? Don't be an imbecile." 

The boy was tingling with adrenaline as he crawled back under the covers, "Okay." He took a deep breath, trying to convince himself, "Okay. I can wait." 

"A thank you would be nice." Plagg grumbled, settling back down on his pillow bed.

Adrien turned and beamed at his kwami, "Thanks Plagg." 

Plagg softened just slightly, "You're welcome. Now shut up and go to sleep." 

Chat shut up no problem, but he didn't sleep a wink the whole night. He could see her tomorrow night, they could talk about things then, and he could finally tell her how much she really meant to him. All would be well if he could just survive until then.

The model was completely unaware of a certain Alya and Nino, who were both still up as well, having a long phone conversation to sort out the details of how they were going to get their ridiculous best friends together tomorrow.

***

***

"How many more flowers do you need?" 

"Um, about twenty." 

Carapace slumped, letting his head fall back to look up at the sky, "I'm gonna die."

"Stop being melodramatic, this is important." Alya ordered him, messing with the closest bunch of flowers. This was Marinette and Adrien, Ladybug and Chat. This was the most important set up Alya had ever set up.

If Nino had to carry one more flower up the fricking Tower, he was going to jump off, best friends be damned. 

"Nino, babe--" 

"Okay, okay" He caved, laughing, "You don't have to bring out the pet names."

Alya grinned, satisfied and amused, "You should stop complaining. I planned on kissing you before the nerds got here." Oh, the power of one flirty wink. This was never gonna get old.

Nino went red immediately, caught of guard by her comment, "Twenty flowers," He squeaked, his voice higher than usual, "Be right back." 

Alya laughed as he disappeared and then examined her work so far. The second highest beam of the Tower, the meeting place for patrol, was covered in flowers. Bright red carnations to be exact, wrapping up the beams and railings, sitting happily in small glass jars all around the edges of the Tower. Between the jars were about seventy-five small white tea candles, already lit, that would provide warm, romantic light once the sun was set in a about fifteen minutes. 

Nino had told Marinette that patrol would be early today and Alya told Chat the same. Now the two dorks would show up to this beautiful scene right at sunset and Alya could catch the whole thing on video from a higher beam.

She was good, she would admit. Only the best for her friends. 

Nino jumped back up a few minutes later, carrying the promised flowers and handing the bundle over to the girl, still blushing like a mad man, "Um. Anything else?"

She smiled, sitting down cross-legged to organize the flowers into their jars, "You can sit with me if you want." 

He did but didn't say anything as she busied her fingers with the last flowers while he gathered his courage. 

"I really like you Alya." Quiet, like a whisper, as he looked at her. 

Finally. This she could work with. 

She looked over at him, decked in green, blinking through his eye wear, "I know."

His voice bursts out, "And it's not like a hey, you're my friend and now you're my teammate kind of like, it's like, fuck, Alya is fricking beautiful and I wanna take her to a movie and then kiss her goodnight. Like, that kind of like. Like, like-like. You know." He was so red then, rubbing his neck. 

Alya looked at him for a second, seeing the honesty in his words and the hopefulness in his eyes, "I know."

"And I really want to ask you if we could go to a movie, you and me, you know. As a date. And you don't have to say yes or anything, and-um. You don't have to kiss me after, if you don't want to because being heroes makes things complicated and stuff, so sorry if this is out of line. But I just really need to get this out, because I like you, I like you a lot."

"Nino." She placed a hand to his hot cheek, giving him a smile, even if she felt nervous herself, "I would love to go on a date with you." 

All the air blew out of him as he relaxed, "You would?" 

She grinned, her eyes catching a spot of black on the skyline, "Yeah. I'd actually love to kiss you right now, but Chat's coming so rain-check?" 

He nodded eagerly, "Rain-check, kissing, yeah." 

"Come on sweetheart, if we don't get up there, we'll ruin the vibe." After he nodded and smiled, Alya wrapped an arm around his side and used her flute to fly them up to the highest beam. 

Pulling out her phone, she got the best angle and then pressed record just as Chat bound onto the Tower with raised eyebrows. 

Oh yeah, this was gonna be good. 

Operation Dork Love was now officially under way.

***

***

Pacing in her room, a few minutes earlier was a very distraught Marinette. 

"It's simple. I just say, hey, I know your identity. No big deal, not like his identity is the only thing between him and Hawkmoth." She paused on her nervous walk, wincing at her kwami, "Tikki I don't think I can do this."

Tikki smiled in a motherly way, "Marinette, you fight akumas all the time, what's the worst that could happen?" 

"I could make a fool of myself. He could be upset . . . Or disappointed. He could . . . Oh god Tikki, what if something happens to him like last time? What if he and Plagg get hurt?" 

"Marinette," Her kwami said again, eyes flickering with sadness at the memory, "This isn't last time. Last time was an accident, they weren't ready for their soulmate yet. But you and your partner are."

"Soulmates?" She murmured. The word was familiar but foreign on her lips.

"You mean that hasn't been abundantly clear?" 

There were so many times when Marinette was positive that she and Adrien were meant for each other, and maybe in a way she was right. But a fourteen year old girl with a crush couldn't possibly understand the utter depth of the word that Marinette felt now. 

*We're made of the same stardust. It's been us since the beginning of time.*

The weight of it was so strong that her heart was beating like crazy already, just thinking about this. 

*Two halves of a whole.*

For some reason, she suddenly wanted to cry, "This-Oh Tikki-I--"

The kwami patted her cheek, beaming, "I know, just say the words."

And she smiled back, "Tikki, spots on."

***

She swung onto the Tower as Chat put his baton away, looking around at the setting before them, "Well this is something." He said casually, raising blond eyebrows. 

Ladybug only caught a glimpse of things, specifically red, before scaling over the railing and stepping down to the edge of the beam. 

Two seconds later, something was burning at her feet, crunching under her suit's flats.

Chat rushed forward, as Lady jumped away in shock from whatever sort of mess she made now. 

Flowers, red carnations were burning in a waxy tea candle, water and glass scattered around it. The flowers were in little jars and candles by their sides, set all around the railings, twirling around the beams, one of which had been her landing.

The blond stomped on the flowers a few times with his big, black boots before sighing and looking back at her, "Are you cut?"

She shook her head, shame and guilt swelling, "God I'm sorry, I'm such a klutz. I didn't mean to ruin your . . ."

He gives her a smile, "You're not a klutz," He paused, "And you didn't do this?" 

"Me?"

"You didn't?"

"I'm not the flirt around here." 

"Fair enough." He gave her a grin, taking a few steps forward to ease her, "Well then. Looks like our friends set us up."

He said it with such joy and humor that Marinette could hear her heart pounding in her ears. *I know you, I know you. We're made of the same stardust, you and me.*

"It looks like it." Ladybug responded, smiling. Because no matter the amount of fluttering in her stomach, her brain was still working correctly, allowing her to stare at him, bright green eyes and blushing grin. All soft in his movements and gentle in the step forward he took. 

"Alya's probably set up cameras." He said.

She laughed, touching his cheek, "Probably."

"She's gonna blackmail us later." 

"I can live with that." 

He grinned, then suddenly became serious, touching his hand over hers, surprisingly warm in the leather fabric, "My Lady . . . I know you might be angry with me, but I think I've figured out who you are." 

"Have you?" She moved back slightly, to give him a somewhat confused smile, "I was going to tell you the same thing."

"That explains this whole set up," He waved his other claw at the flowers around them, but never took his eyes from hers. 

This simple, sweet way of him not looking anywhere but her sent Marinette's stomach lurching forward. She wanted to kiss him, she wanted to kiss him right now.

'I could be wrong.' Was the only thought that keeps her from pulling him forward, despite the fact that she knows it wasn't true.

"You think Alya and Nino found out?"

"Um, yeah." She took a deep breath, "Nino already knows who I am."

He laughed once, "Really? Alya knows my identity too." 

"I guess they finally got in cahoots."

"Probably. I bet they'll play this video at our wedding or something."

Then she couldn't help it, starting to laugh, "Our wedding? Is that a proposal?"

He winked, "If you want it to be." 

Then she take both of his cheeks in her hands. "Uh, no way. I'd like a date first chaton. And don't say things like that while the cameras are rolling."

His eyes flicked down to her lips and she suddenly couldn't breath. 

"Would you?"

"Would I what?"

"Now you're just being difficult. Would you . . . Go on a date, with me?" 

"I don't know, I don't even know you." She replied loftily. 

"You really want to make me say it?"

"Well it would be terribly anti-climatic if one of us was wrong about the other."

He bit his lip for a moment before coming just a few inches closer and whispering out two words that sealed everything for her, "Hi Marinette." 

All of her completely melted, "H-Hi Adrien." 

He drew back, frowning, confused, hurt playing in his face. 

Oh god, she was wrong, she was wrong and this was too much and she would hurt Chat Noir just like she had last time--

"Oh my god." She said, blinking back the sudden urge to cry, "I'm sorry, I didn't--"

Then he started to laugh. Just ridiculous, loud, snorting laughter, holding his stomach, "I can't believe I got you."

Her mind racing, she stammered out a, "You-You *asshole*!" She whacked him on the shoulder, "That wasn't funny!" 

"You started apologizing and everything!" 

"Screw you Chat! I thought I . . . I thought I hurt you." 

He pulled her forward by the forearms, bringing up his hands to her neck, "Sorry." He didn't look sorry at all, "Gotta lighten the mood. It's my thing." 

"Well maybe you should change your thing to being a butthole, because you're pretty good at that." 

"A butthole?" He questioned, still grinning. 

This wasn't fair. She couldn't stay mad at him when he would look at her that way, "Y-Yeah. A butthole. Nice and stinky." 

Chat snorted again, looking at the sky, honestly amused, "You and Plagg would get along."

Wow, she had never even noticed how nice the column of his neck--Nope. Nope. None of that now, "Well not if I never meet him."

There goes that dorky smile, "You wanna meet him? Or you just wanna stare at my literal model body? Adrien's calves are disproportionate you know."

"That's definitely a deciding factor." 

"He knows, that's why he wears jeans to cover up the shame. Your poor kitten here, has nothing of the sort."

"Yeah, I noticed." 

"Did you?"

"Are we really doing this now?"

He leaned closer to her, an earnest smile resting in his gaze, "Say my name again."

"Real kinky."

"What can I say?" His eyes were dancing.

She took a deep breath, touching his warm golden cheeks again, ecstatic in the fact that she could, "Hi Adrien."

Chat moved forward so fast she couldn't help the little squeak that came out as he crushed her in a tight hug. Warm even in his costume, she could feel his heartbeat hammering in his chest as she set her chin on his shoulder.

"When did you get so tall?" She wondered, feeling his laugh against her stomach.

"When did you get so beautiful?" He countered into her neck. 

"Oh my god you two, my butt is going to sleep on this stupid beam so could you kiss already?"

Both turned and looked above them to find a unamused Alya and a scandalized Nino. 

"Alya!" He protested, "We were supposed to be quiet."

The girl rolled her eyes, "Yeah well I love the foreplay as much as the next guy, but you nerds are over the top." She held up the camcorder again, "Just kiss so we can go get ice cream."

Chat leaned in flush against her with a smile, a secretive, trouble maker one that made her knees weak, and then kissed her nose with an over-exaggerated smacking noise, "There."

Marinette was glad he was holding her or she might have fainted from cuteness.

Alya pressed her lips and hopped down from her beam, shutting her camcorder off, "Not what I had in mind."

Chat stuck out his tongue, "But thanks for this." He waved one hand around.

"It was really sweet," Ladybug agreed, smiling at her friend. Finally over her blush from Chat Noir kissing her freaking nose like the cutie he was. 

Nino hopped down beside her, "Alya was the brains but I was the brawn." 

Everyone went quiet.

"I know that sounds unbelievable but it's true, I had to carry everything."

"Like a gentleman," Alya said, after they shared a short laugh, "Now. Who wants ice cream on me?"

***

***

Nino said the ice cream tasted great. 

Adrien wouldn't know, he was too busy staring at Marinette to even process it.

The four found somewhere to release their transformation, having a short kwami introduction. (Plagg managed to not die when Tikki, Marinette's kwami, gave him a hug, which was a miracle to behold in his opinion.) Then the heroes headed to a small little ice cream shop that Alya knew about as the night got darker, layered with clouds. 

Soon Nino, Alya, Marinette and Adrien got mint chocolate chip, brownie swirl, cotton candy and strawberry respectively, none of the kwamis were interested in ice cream so Marinette passed out cookies to them all. (She was already the favorite. Drat.) 

After a couple minutes in the shop, Nino dragged Alya away and made up some excuse about homework or something, leaving only Adrien and Marinette for the good sized distance to walk home. Bless his best friend, really.

They talked for a while, about nothing in particular, video games, kwamis, Plagg and his stupid cheese, before finally transforming to hurry home as the sky shook with thunder. 

Of course it was raining, of all the nights. Plagg's gift just didn't end. 

By the time the two got to Marinette's balcony, drops of water were starting to splatter, cutting their good bye short. Or so he thought. 

She touched his shoulder, "One second." 

Dipping down into her room, she was gone for two seconds, carrying an umbrella with her as she appeared again.

Marinette walked back over, opened it and held the umbrella above them, blocking the rain that was falling freely now. 

He stared at the handle, his initials carved into the wood, then stared down at her mesmerized, "You kept this?" 

The heroine blinked up at him hesitantly through her lashes, "Yeah." 

And he couldn't say anything more. Because he knew they were partners, he knew she trusted him, but this was such a special thing. No one had ever touched his life the way the girl before him had, no one had cared so much, or loved him so deeply. 

"Can I kiss you?" It took him a moment to realize he had asked the question out loud in a low voice, hand on her cheek. 

Marinette gave him a smug little smile, leaning to him with a sparkle in her sky blue eyes, "Not if I kiss you first." 

Then everything on the planet earth is soft and warm and fluttery in his chest. He doesn't have to worry if he's doing anything right because it's Marinette, his Lady, the love of his life, and the simple touch of her lips lets him know that she loves him back, that she's in this for him and nothing else. 

Looking at her again and brushing her hair back gently, all he could do was grin. Because this was worth it, worth all of it. Any pain, hurt or rejection he's every felt from her was worth watching her eyes smile back at him this way. 

"You never answered earlier, would you like to go on a date with me?"

"Absolutely." She replied, hands on his neck, soft, safe, loving.

"Then it would be my pleasure Princess." 

Ladybug smiled at him, "Good night Chat, I'll see you in school, okay?" 

It was quite possibly the best sentence he had ever heard her say and he told her so. He wanted to kiss her again but he held himself back, because there were lines and things were complicated, but it was a good holding back. The kind that made him feel so full of love that he can barely breath.

Marinette laughed, "Bye chaton, keep the umbrella, you might need it."

The blond blinked at the now pouring rain, faking seriousness, "Probably, it's raining cats and dogs."

She didn't laugh, but she did smile so he took it as a win even when she said, "Not your best." 

"I've been distracted recently." He admitted, bringing up her hand to kiss her knuckles, "Good night My Lady." 

Ladybug gave his a smile, and then headed inside, leaving Chat all alone with his excitement despite the pouring sheets of water.

Bounding and leaping, he didn't know she could hear him cheering from rooftops away.


End file.
